Wedding Arrangements
by ponyvomit.x
Summary: Complete// What did she have to lose? She might even make a really good princess. “Alright, daddy. You got yourself a deal.” NejiTen
1. Princess

**Whee! So, my first fic on this account. –insert wild applause here-**

**I don't think it'll be very long. I'm pretty well known in my family for procrastination, especially when it comes to either drawing or writing…or both. (:**

**Anyway. I don't own Naruto. Sob.**

-----

Chapter One: Princess

Princess. A word you don't tend to associate with sweatpants, messy hair and chewing gum. A word used for young ladies of a royal descent, who happen to be well-spoken and polite. A word, that Tenten avoided using at all costs. It was ironic, really, seeing how she herself was a princess.

Said royal shot daggers at her father. "_No._"

Her father's face hardened slightly, but he had himself trained not to snap, or show his true feelings when his daughter was present. He may have been higher up then her on the metaphorical food chain, true, but people bowed to Tenten more than they did to her father. She was too scary-looking not to bow. They said that one look could turn you to stone.

"B-but, daughter, please. All the guests are already waiting for you down in the main hall. We can't just send them all home, seeing as most of them have flown in from across the globe." The emperor begged. Tenten raised one perfectly plucked eyebrow, and her lips twisted into their usual pout.

"Read my lips, father." She responded in a slow, serious tone. "I – am – not – going. That room, right now, is filled with more stereotypical royals whose heads are _so far _up their own asses, I'm sure that if you asked them what sunlight was, _they wouldn't know._"

As Tenten completed her rant, she swung her long, shapely legs off of the coffee table, oblivious to the fact that she nearly knocked over a full teacup, and marched over to the doorway, right next to the crackling fireplace. Her father gulped.

"Now, then, daddy. Go out there, and tell all those uptight royals, that they won't be seeing me any time soon, 'kay?" She folded her arms across her chest with a triumphant smirk. "_Especially _in one of those frilly dress things they wear. Ugh, how can they even breathe in those?"

The princess hesitated, carefully observing and analysing her father's expression. It was his, 'I am truly sorry, princess, but it's my only choice' look. Tenten's chocolate eyes widened, and her mouth formed a perfect circle.

"Oh, no, dad, you wouldn't." she spat, her face going red. "Not again."

Before he had time to reply, Tenten whipped around in a desperate attempt to escape, but it was too late. _They _had already arrived.

Two maids in matching uniform stood before her, smiling falsely through their teeth. Tenten knew exactly who they were, but she was shocked to see them again. It had been so long since they'd been called in to do _this _job.

"Hello, miss. Time to get ready!" they said in perfect harmony. Tenten winced and turned to face her father.

"Dad, when they're done, I will _kill _you!" she screamed, starting to kick her legs as the two maids picked her up by the arms and began carrying her out the door. Her father sighed and took a sudden interest in his nails.

"Sorry, Tenten, but if you're going to _act_ like a child, I will _treat _you like a child. Do well, ladies. Make her into a real princess." He retorted slowly, drawing out each word in a calm, sophisticated tone. Then, dropping his hand to his side, he winked at the maids. "Good day."

Tenten had always been a fighter. She struggled and kicked, but these maids had man hands. No matter how hard the princess fought, she couldn't break away.

After about five minutes of travel, they reached their destination; the main closet. Well, the people who lived in the palace called it a closet. To guests, Tenten's friends, and the paparazzi, it was a whole mall crammed into one room.

"Okay, then, miss." The first maid said, letting go of Tenten's left arm.

"Let's pick out an outfit for you." The other finished the first's sentence, letting go of Tenten's right arm. Tenten fell to the carpeted floor, glaring up at the maids, but they were unfazed by the fire burning her eyes. She crossed her legs and closed her eyes in a reluctant fashion, pouting.

"If you must pick me a dress, I have preferences." Tenten said sharply. "Black or red. Short. No frills. No glitter. Strapless. Got it?"

The maids laughed. "Don't be silly. We have the perfect dress already picked out."

Tenten was not impressed. "Is it black or red, short, without frills or glitter and strapless? If it's not, I don't wanna know."

Maid from hell number one hesitated, biting her lip. She twirled her fingers behind her back, and maid from hell number two did the same.

"Well…no." Maid two turned to a rack of dresses, flipped through them, and plucked one off a hanger. It was pink, long, frilly and glittery, with puffy sleeves. Tenten showed no emotion. Well, unless pure hatred counted as an emotion. Pure, unalloyed, hatred. For her father, for maids from hell one and two, and for _that dress_. That horrible, pink, pretty, girly, Barbie-like –

"Miss? Time to put it on." Maid two said, holding said dress up in front of her chest. And at that moment, Tenten screamed. She jumped up, ripped the dress from maid two's hands and stomped it into the floor.

"Never!" she yelled, before storming out of the closet-come-mall. Once outside of the room, she slammed the door, turned, and crashed straight into a tall figure.

"Watch where you're going, dumbass." Tenten hissed. "I'm in a _very _bad mood, and you don't wanna get on the wrong side of me right now. And who are you, anyway?"

She eyed the anonymous person, and folded her arms across her stomach. The guy had long brown hair tied back in a low ponytail, and shiny grey eyes adorned with long, dark lashes. He had broad shoulders and muscular arms, both of which were covered by a crisp white shirt and black jacket.

"Well, Miss. Irritable. My name is Hyuuga Neji, of the Hyuuga bloodline. And you are – I assume – Princess Tenten. Born in China, March 9th - "

"Shut up. I do not refer to myself as a princess. I prefer…teenage girl who lives in a palace. How do you know all that stuff, anyway? And why are you here?"

"Okay, teenage girl who lives in a palace Tenten. I know _that stuff_ because my father is good friends with your father, and I'm here for that party that _you_ should be at right now." Neji explained with an eyebrow raised. "Now, then, you tell me. Why _aren't _you at that party?"

"That doesn't matter. Just get out of my way before I rip your head off those pretty boy shoulders of yours." Tenten said calmly.

"Hm. Not like a princess at all, I see." Neji reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind Tenten's ear. "I'll be seeing you, then…Tenten."

He walked away down the hall, leaving Tenten alone. Her cheeks were tinted pink and her eyes were even wider than before. She pursed her lips and gave a long, low whistle.

_I'll be seeing you then…Tenten. _

"Hm. Seeing me." Tenten considered his words, then, with a chuckle, said, "No, not likely."

She turned on her heel and started padding down the hallway towards her bedroom. She flung open the door, stepped inside, then jammed a chair under the door handle so that no-one could get in. With a heavy sigh, she closed her chocolate colored eyes.

-----

Neji knocked back his drink as he listened to the gentle hum of the crowds. He placed the glass back down on the bar and turned to his left, where Uzumaki Naruto was sat, sprawled out and half-asleep on the counter top.

"Yo, Naruto. Up."

The blonde-haired heir to Uzumaki hotels snapped awake, blinking his blue eyes rapidly and looking around in a confused manner. He caught sight of Neji and winced.

"Was I asleep?"

Neji nodded.

"…Was I snoring?"

"No, no, of course not." Neji lied smoothly, patting his friend on the back. "Sleeping like a baby."

"Ugh, sorry. It's just…I know I'm the heir to Uzumaki hotels and all, but these sort of parties just bore me to tears, man." Naruto whined. He stretched out his arms, which were clad in a grey jacket, and turned to Neji. "So, um, did you wake me up for a reason, or..?"

"Yeah. You know that princess? Tenten?" Neji asked, reaching out for his drink again. "What do you know about her?"

Naruto laughed nervously. "Only that she's a total nutcase. I hear that she pushed a paparazzi off the balcony because he asked for her surname."

"Come to think of it, I never did find out what her surname was…" Neji thought out loud, beckoning the barman over. "Another Ice Tea, please."

"Right? No-one does. And she refused to take the limo to one of my dad's parties a few years back. Instead, she _skateboarded._ I mean, really? It's like she doesn't even want to be a princess."

"Really." Neji said. "She seems…different."

Naruto scoffed. "Different? Dude. She chose a skateboard over a limo. Which had a _hot-tub_. Forget different. That girl is _weird_."

Neji said nothing.

"But, man, did you actually _see _her? She's gorgeous." Naruto said loudly. "If you over-look the whole… 'push a paparazzi off the balcony, skateboard pwns limo every time' attitude, she's a _goddess_."

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, she is." He said, holding in a sigh.

Naruto hesitated, then bit his lip. "Hey, is she even here? Tonight? At this party?"

Neji decided to play dumb. He looked around, then back to his friend. "No, no, I don't think she is. I wonder where she is."

Naruto smirked, and hopped down off the barstool. "I think I'll go find her then."

"No, you don't wanna do that!" Neji said, also stepping down onto the shining wooden floor. "What happened to 'she's a nutcase', huh?"

Naruto blinked a couple of times. "Ohh, I get it."

"_Thank _you."

"You want the princess all to yourself." Naruto smiled and raised an eyebrow. Neji nearly passed out at the way his friend had interpreted it.

"What? No! She pushed a paparazzi off a balcony! Why would I fall for someone like that?" he snapped, maybe a little _too _loudly. An elderly couple sat next to them gave him an odd look. The barman stopped polishing the empty glass in his hand and glanced up.

"So…you don't like her?" Naruto questioned his friend, cocking his head to one side. Neji shook his head quickly. Naruto nodded and straightened his tie.

"Okay, that's good. Because…" the blonde looked around with a devious smile on his lips. He winked before saying childishly, "Naru likey."

Neji nodded once, unimpressed, and took a huge interest in his Ice Tea. He stared at his reflection in the cool brown liquid and smiled. "Go for it man."

_It's your funeral._

-----

_Knock. Knock._

Tenten looked up over her copy of _GISEle _magazine and pouted. "Come in."

Her father opened the door and smiled wanly at his daughter. "Tenten, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

Another man walked into the room, and waved at the princess. "Princess. It is an _honor _to finally meet you in person."

"…and you are..?" Tenten said, cocking an eyebrow and pursing her glossy lips.

"Ah, Hyuuga Hizashi. I am a good friend of your father's." the man said, edging closer to the princess and holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

_Hyuuga._

"Okay." Tenten replied warily. She took his hand between her thumb and forefinger and shook it delicately. "Why are you here?"

"Ah. I have come to discuss…" Hizashi cleared his throat. "Your future."

"My future. With a man I just met forty seconds ago, no, I don't think so."

"Tenten." Her father intervened with a hint of force in his tone. "Hizashi is the father…of the man that you will marry."

Tenten froze, her lips parted. She slowly let the magazine slip through her fingers, and it landed softly on her lap. "Marriage. Are you _kidding _me?"

"No, Tenten, I am not – _kidding_, as you put it." Her father replied. "I think that a husband would whip you into shape, you being, well, you."

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, wait, back up. _Marriage?_" Tenten spat, leaving the sofa and strutting over to confront her dad. "Dad, I'm seventeen. You think I need a _husband_? Or are you just desperate to get rid of - " she paused and turned to Hizashi. "This son of yours. What's his name?"

"His name is - "

"Hyuuga. Neji." Tenten interrupted. She put her tongue in her cheek and crossed her arms. "Great. I'm having an arranged marriage with a guy with a _ponytail_, who I threatened to rip his head off today. Just. Perfect."

"You threatened to _what_?" her father asked, stepping closer to his daughter.

"Not the point." Tenten snapped back, also stepping forward. "W-when was this decided? Does he know about this?"

"…N-no, not yet…we wanted your approval first." Hizashi muttered, lacing his fingers together in front of him. "So, do you - "

"Approval?" Tenten finally exploded. She threw her hands in the air and started to walk in a circle. "Dad, what made you think I'd ever CONSIDER having an arranged marriage? ANY marriage, for that matter? Which brings me back to, I'm _seventeen_! I-I-I-I don't even think it's LEGAL for me to get married, am I right? And, a-a-a-a-and if I got married, I would need a pretty dress and heels, and a _huge _after party. I'd rather stay at home watching silent movies for the rest – of – my – life!"

The room fell into silence.

"Tenten. You do not have a choice in this." Her father said, with the most stern tone he had ever used on his daughter. "You. _Will_. Marry. Neji."

"No. I. _Will._ _Not_."

"I think," Hizashi said calmly, placing a hand on the emperor's shoulder. "We should resort to plan B."

"You mean - "

Hizashi nodded slowly. The emperor cleared his throat.

"Alright, Tenten. If you can become a better princess, in thirty days, and _stay _that way…you can do what you want. Marry Neji. Don't marry Neji, whatever."

"Alright, this'll be - "

"But."

"Oh, I hate the but."

"But." Her father stared at Tenten. "If you remain as selfish, lazy, and rude as you are now…you will marry Neji if we have to drag you down the aisle by your shoe-straps. Do we have a deal?"

Tenten considered it. What did she have to lose? She might even make a really good princess.

"Alright, daddy. You got yourself a deal."

-----

**And, ladies and gentlemen, give it up for my first chapter to reach over 2000 words, oh yeah, baby!**

**Ahem. Anyway. Review, please. (:**


	2. Dinner

**Hola, amigos!**

**I am back with chapter two (ZOMG) of Wedding Arrangements. I cannot BELIEVE I'm actually writing the second chapter. (:**

**Enjoy it, people! Embrace it! Never let it go! Or something!**

**Yeah. Don't own Naruto. If I did, NejiTen, SasuSaku and ShikaIno would've happened a **_**looooong **_**time ago, babes.**

-----

Chapter Two: Dinner

"So." Tenten leaned back in her seat. Her hair, unlike most days, was hanging loose around her shoulders instead of tied up in twin buns. Her face, _just _like most days, was hard as a rock. Narrow eyes. Usual pout. Chin in the air. "You called."

Neji clasped his hands. "Yes."

"How did you get my number?"

"Well, I - "

"Are you a stalker?"

Neji frowned, and pressed his lips together in a firm line. What a question. What a girl. Tenten suddenly gasped, a frantic look on her face. She leaned forward.

"You're not affiliated with that paparazzi that fell off the balcony, are you?" she asked. Neji laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, _fell_."

"Details, details." Tenten muttered, waving her hand in the air and leaning back again. She studied Neji's face, trying to figure out what he was thinking. "Anyway. I assume you've been told about mine and dad's bet?"

"I have." Neji approved the statement with a nod.

"And what do you think about it?"

"I think - " Neji blinked. What _did _he think about it? Wait. He didn't even have a say in it. What if she didn't improve? Would he be happy being tied to this girl? "I think it's a perfectly reasonable bet."

Yes. Yes he would.

Tenten's eyebrows raised slightly and her face softened. "Oh. Okay then."

"But, I think, in case you don't improve, we should get to know each other better. Which is why I am formally inviting you to dinner this Saturday, eight o' clock, at the Uzumaki Hotel around the corner. I'm good friends with the owner's son, so we can have the whole restaurant area to ourselves." Neji purred, resting his elbows on the arm rests of his chair. Tenten, on the other hand, wasn't so calm. She nearly fell out of her seat.

"I'd prefer it if there were people around. If there's witnesses, I'm less likely to murder you." Tenten stuttered, having to force the witty comebacks now. This Neji guy was making her nervous.

"Ah, I see. That can be arranged." Neji said, laughing. "But you _will_ come, won't you?"

"I suppose I could clear a space in my totally full up schedule, yes." Tenten said, with a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "I'll be there."

"It's a - "

"Say the word 'date', and I will tase you."

"…Sorry."

-----

Tenten ran her hands through her medium-length hair and looked at herself in the mirror for twentieth time in about forty seconds. She'd actually bothered to put on some makeup – nothing special, just some mascara and lipgloss – and she'd faced her fear and dug out one of her old skirts. Paired with a simple white tank-top, she looked perfect. Although, Tenten herself wasn't convinced.

"Ugh, I hate this." She thought out loud to herself. "It's like a Cindy doll threw up on me."

She snatched up her purse, touched her hair for the final time, and then walked out of her bedroom and down to the lobby, where her father and some other man were waiting for her.

"Ah, Tenten, you look _marvellous_." The emperor took his daughter by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Don't screw this up."

"Don't screw this up." Tenten echoed in a mocking voice. "Please, dad, it's just dinner at some lame hotel. What is there to screw up?"

"Right. Tenten, this is your driver for the evening, Tachibana. He will drive you to the hotel and back again." Her father promptly changed the subject, acknowledging how much there _was _to screw up.

"Driver? I've never seen him before. When did you hire him?"

"Oh, no, I didn't hire him. He is one of Hizashi's clients. Neji demanded that you have a well-trained driver to escort you. He seemed rather worried that you'd run away, or something." Her dad explained. Tenten had long since lost interest in the story, so nodded, waved, and started for the door.

"Yep, well, see you later, daddy." She murmured. "Let's go, Tanaguchi."

"Um, it's Tachibana, miss."

"Eh."

Tenten slid into the back of the limo, rummaging in her pocket and producing a small, pocket mirror. She flipped it open, stared at her reflection for a few seconds, still not satisfied, and put the mirror away. She sighed and gazed out of the blacked-out window, resting her chin in her hand.

Upon Tenten's arrival, Neji opened the door for her and helped her out of the limo.

"Alright, alright, I know how to walk." Tenten snapped as he reached for her arm.

"You look lovely." Neji retorted; a major change in subject, and a distraction. Tenten's face softened.

"Thank…you…um, you…too?" she stuttered, flushing red and ducking her head away. The couple were seated as soon as they walked in the door, and the waiter handed them a pair of menus.

"Drinks?" he asked in a stereotypical posh waiter voice.

"Ice tea, for me, thanks." Neji said with a smile. He turned to Tenten, who was glaring at him.

"Lemonade. Ice. Lots of it." She said through gritted teeth, not taking her gaze off Neji. As the waiter left, Neji leaned forward.

"What's wrong? What did I say?" he asked. Tenten's eyes flickered to the edge of the table, where one hand lay casually on another. The hand on the bottom was Tenten's. The hand on top belonged to Neji. Neji opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out but a near-silent, 'oh'.

"Get your hand. Off my person." Tenten breathed, flames starting to form in her pupils. Neji responded, and tucked both his hands under the table.

"I apologise. I didn't notice."

"Psh, yeah, _didn't notice_."

They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes, when Tenten broke that silence, her voice cutting through the awkwardness like a knife.

"Sorry." She murmured. "I just…I don't really want to be here that much, is all."

"It's okay, I understand. You want to make your father happy, right?" Neji replied cheerfully, smiling at her. Tenten – although she didn't show it – was shocked. Nobody had ever smiled at her that way. With such meaning, such authenticity…it felt like fireworks were going off in the young princess' mind.

"Y-yeah." She remembered how to breathe. "That's it."

"Even if it makes you miserable."

Tenten froze, once again forgetting how to breathe. How to move, how to talk. It's like the world slowed down.

"I-I never said that! And who says I'm miserable? Who says…who says my father is happy? He might hate you. He might think that you're my type, which you _so _aren't." Tenten retorted sharply, and loudly, leaning forward in her chair.

"Tenten, you're not making any sense."

"Ugh, I know." She slumped back again. "Sorry, sorry…hatred tends to drive a person crazy."

"You hate me?" Neji asked, hurt. Tenten reconsidered her words.

"Never said that." She winked.

It was at that moment that a blonde haired, blue eyed girl in pink strutted up to the couple's table. She was wearing a tight black dress and had _enormous _boobs. She had every quality that Tenten hated in a girl.

"I'm _so _sorry to disturb you, but would you mind keeping it down over here? Some people are trying to eat in peace, thank you very much." The girl purred, leaning on the table. "Oh, wait, sorry. It's only _one _of you who's being loud."

She jerked her head in Tenten's direction.

"Oh, I'm _so _sorry to be an ass," Tenten mimicked the girls voice in a cruel, taunting way. "But if you want quiet, sit somewhere else. Do you know who I am?"

Tenten never thought she'd become one of those princesses who flaunted there power that way.

"I know exactly who you are. My daddy happens to be your daddy's old right-hand man. But, now, my daddy's working in the rice fields, because your daddy _fired _him and put him _out of the job_." The girl hissed back, bringing her face dangerously close to Tenten's.

"Oh, right. You're Nagasaki's daughter. I can see the resemblance." Tenten lifted her hands. "Man hands, oh yeah, baby, I went there."

The girl squeaked and put her hands behind her back. "Now, you listen to me, I will - "

She paused, looking around with a wild look in her eye. She stopped a waiter in his tracks, who happened to be holding a tray of spaghetti. Tenten glowered at her. "You wouldn't."

The girl picked up the spaghetti, hovered the tray over Tenten's head for a few milliseconds, then tipped. She smirked as she watched Tenten scrape tomato sauce from her eyes.

"Two can play at that game, sister." Tenten said, slightly breathless. She walked over to the restaurant's main counter, and grabbed the vase of flowers that was standing prominently at the end of the table. Without taking her eyes off of the human Barbie, she plucked the flowers from the vase one by one, leaving a trail along the wooden floor. As she reached Barbie, she smiled sweetly.

"You wouldn't." the girl echoed Tenten's words.

"You don't know me, Barbie. I _so _would." And, with those words, she lifted the vase and poured. Tenten was in luck; she hadn't expected the water to be dirty. And full of candy wrappers that people had put in there over the years because they were too lazy to find a bin.

Neji stared in silence.

"Tenten, maybe we should go - "

"Oh, no way, pretty boy. I'm just getting started." Tenten replied swiftly. "Give me that lemonade I ordered."

Nervous, Neji handed her the ice cold drink, feeling a little used.

"I _was _gonna use this on pretty boy," Tenten pondered to herself. "But looks like I've found a much better use for it."

"Hey, what are you - " Tenten pulled at the girl's top and dumped the ice down it. All the girl could feel was freezing cold, then numbness, all around her torso. Tenten smiled wickedly, scraping more spaghetti from her once-perfect hair. The girl screamed.

"You're so gonna pay for that!" she screeched. She turned behind her, and grabbed some lady's dessert; a chocolate cake. Without even looking where she was throwing, Barbie hurled it in Tenten's direction. Tenten ducked. The cake soared through the air, over the princess' head, and into the face of a passing by waiter. The waiter froze, blinking.

"Ma'am." He said.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! I was aiming for that girl, but she ducked and - " before Barbie could say any more, she had a cake in _her _face. The waiter laughed.

"That was fun. I don't believe I've ever thrown anything in my life." He chuckled, clapping. "You got…"

He bent down to talk to Tenten. "What's the word you kids use?"

"Oh, pwned."

"You got pwned!" the waiter shouted triumphantly, waving his hands in the air. Neji suddenly stood up, pushing his chair away.

"Please, Tenten! Let's just go." He said sharply. Tenten snickered.  
"No way, this is too fun. But you know what'll be even more fun?" she said, picking up a bowl of ice cream from a nearby table. "_Incoming!_"

She hurled the bowl at Neji, and it landed straight in her face. He gasped, licking his lips clean of the sweet-smelling ice cream. Hmm. Vanilla.

"It's on." He said.

-----

Tenten stood in a embarrassed silence, hiding her smile behind her hair. Neji was stood beside her, trying to explain politely why both he and his 'date' were covered in food.

"Emperor-sama. I truly am sorry for your daughter's behaviour, and for my own. It was completely out of line. I shall pay for Tenten to have her hair re-styled." Neji was silently pleading with Tenten's father. Tenten smirked.

"Neji. I forgive you. Tenten, on the other hand…" said girl's head shot up.

"You forgive him and not me?" she asked, pretending to be extremely hurt. "How could you? Feel the shame, daddy. Feel it! Embrace it!"

Tenten trailed off to her room while ranting about guilt and shame. Neji stifled a laugh and grinned.

_She's some girl._

-----

**Eh. I don't like how this chapter came out. Ah, well. **

**Ooh! And Merry Christmas to you all! Hope you all get what you wanted!**

**Hmm…I think that's it. Review, please! I'm so happy with the feedback I've gotten so far, and I need more! More I say, more!**

**No, seriously. Review. Thank you. (:**


	3. Cake

_**E D I T : **_**end re-written**

**-----**

**Oh. Wow. Third chapter already.**

**Thanks for all the great feedback you guys have given me! The reviews and faves are probably what's keeping this story alive, right now. (:**

**But I have a question for you guys. Do you want me to start another story (and keep working on Wedding Arrangements) or **_**finish**_** Wedding Arrangements, **_**then **_**start a new story? Your choice, really, folks.**

**So. Third chapter. Here we go. (:**

**Oh! And I don't own Naruto. If I did, Deidara wouldn't have died. T^T**

**WARNING: FLUFF. NEJITEN FLUFF. It's teh best ;D**

Chapter Three: Cake

"Shit!"

Tenten shook her hand and stuck her index finger in her mouth. She didn't know a lot, but what she _did _know was that cookery lessons with the royal chef? Not fun. She narrowed her eyes at the frying pan that she'd burnt herself on and took her finger out of her mouth.

"Hey, Hiro? How does being able to cook rice make me a better princess?" she asked, turning to the 'big-boned' chef and folding her arms across her flat chest. "All it's doing is giving me grief."

"Those who can cook rice can accomplish anything, that's what I say!" Hiro responded, waving his bread knife around in the air. Tenten squeaked and ducked out of the way.

"That makes no sense." She reasoned with the chef. "Rice is so easy to make!"

Hiro bought the knife down to his side and looked at the princess with an empty expression. "If it is so easy, why is there a pile of crap in my frying pan?"

Tenten dared to glance at her rice. It was a light shade of brown and it seemed to be melting across the pan. Ew.

"Alright, alright, I get it." She snapped. She snatched up the frying pan by the handle, and emptied it's contents into the bin. "Anything _easier _that I could make?"

Hiro thought for a moment. "Well…there is one thing."

"What?"

"You could make a cake for that fiancé of yours. You know, to prove to your father that you can be ladylike and…" Hiro swallowed. "Friendly."

"Hiro, that is the…best…idea I've…ever…heard." Tenten slowed down towards the end of her sentence, blinking rapidly. She stomped her foot and slumped her shoulders. "But do I have to give it to _Neji_? Can't I make it for a little old lady or for one of the dogs at the pound? Or, or you, Hiro! You like cake, right?"

"Haha! I wouldn't eat anything you'd made, Tenten." Hiro laughed, punching Tenten lightly on the arm and smiling at the girl. "No offense, but your cooking skills could kill someone."

"Oh, thanks." Tenten muttered, angry, yet pleased that he was treating her like a real person. Most of the staff in the palace wouldn't even dream of touching Tenten.

"I kid." Hiro said, putting his meaty hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I'll teach you."

"Ugh, alright."

-----

Tenten brushed some flour from her jeans and smiled. For the first time in her whole seventeen years, she was _pleased _with something she'd made. She lifted her head and admired her work. Sweet butter cream sandwiched between two soft, golden sponge cakes, topped with strawberries, icing sugar and more butter cream.

"Oh, Tenten, it's marvellous!" Hiro cooed, patting Tenten on the back – literally. "The beau will love it."

"He's not my beau, Hiro." Tenten explained slowly, rolling her eyes and taking her empty mixing bowl over to the sink to be washed up later by the maids. "He's just…an acquaintance of mine…"

Tenten's voice trailed off into silence. _An acquaintance of mine_? You don't tend to go out on a date with someone who's just an acquaintance of yours.

"Of course, of course. Whatever stops the tears." Hiro teased, chuckling to himself and handing Tenten the wooden spoon, caked with butter cream and cake mix. She took the spoon with a reluctant pout and started to lick the spoon. A satisfied smile spread across her lips.

"So…what exactly am I doing with this cake, Hiro?" Tenten asked, flicking her pointed tongue across the spoon. She wasn't putting it down until she got every last bit of cake mix.

"You're going to his house, at night-time, climbing up the wall to his window and giving it to him." Hiro said, clapping his hands together and sighing. "It'll be just like my romance novels."

"Hey, I'm meant to become a better princess, not a daffodil. There is no _way _I'm doing that." She said, her eye twitching at the mere thought of it. "How about I just…mail it to him? Or wait for him to come to me?"

"No, there must be romance!"

"Hiro. Get it through your head that I don't want to marry him!" She spat. "Okay, he is arrogant, irritating, he's a hopeless romantic, and _I hate him_!"

With that, she picked up the cake, threw it to the floor, and left the kitchen.

Hiro sighed and took out his cell phone from the pocket of his apron. He dialled a number and waited for a few minutes.

"Hello, Neji? Sorry to bother you."

-----

Neji ran his fingers through the broken remains of the cake, a melancholy look on his face. Hiro stood and watched in silence.

"I'm going to go and talk to her." He said quietly. Without waiting for a response, he stood up to his full height and fled the kitchen, his eyebrows twitching into a frown. As she reached Tenten's room he saw that the door was open a crack. He knocked twice, waited a moment, then pushed the heavy wooden door open. The room was empty.

Neji felt his heart rate increase in a panic. He scanned the room, then saw that the balcony door was wide open. Neji padded over to the door and leaned against the glass doorframe.

"Hey."

Tenten whipped around, a frantic look plastered on her face. Her expression faded to a solid glare.

"Get off my balcony. You're trespassing." She said with no emotion in her tone. "Unless you've come to tell me that my father called off the bet."

"No, I just…came to see you." Neji said, closing one eye and folding his arms behind his head. "How'd you like your new haircut?"

Tenten flushed and reached up, playing absent-mindedly with her new, slightly shorter hair. She'd also had some dark blonde highlights put in, and feathered bangs that framed her face. "It's alright, thanks. Your stylist did a good job. I might have to hire him, too. But he could've - "

"Hiro told me what you said. About you hating me."

Tenten's face softened. She let her hand fall to her side, her chocolate orbs wide with shock. She reminded herself to have Hiro fired later.

"H-he did? Neji, I don't…I mean…it all came out in a rush, I don't – I don't know what I was saying." She babbled, waving her hands around in front of her. "I'm sorry, I - "

"You said you didn't hate me." Neji said quietly. "So do you, or not?"

"No!"  
"I don't believe you."

Tenten's eyelids dropped, and she puckered her lips in an angry fashion. "Alright. You don't believe me? Get off my balcony."

"No."

Tenten grabbed his shoulders, hands like vices, and swung him around. A crazed look in her eye, she pushed him towards the balcony railings. But her strength was no match for Neji's. He pushed her back in the other direction, pinning her against the brick wall. Tenten's dark eyes went wide, tears forming in the corners.

"I'm…so sorry." She whispered, her lip trembling. "Neji…please believe me…"

Before Neji could respond, she freed herself from his grip and buried her face in his shirt. Her face bright red, a variety of different thoughts ran through her head.

_What am I doing? I don't want to marry him. I have to become a better princess or I'll be stuck with him forever…_

_Would that really be so bad, though?_

_Why, yes. Yes it would._

Neji froze for a moment, then put his arms around her. "Just promise me one thing."

"Any – well, not anything." Tenten sniffed, giggling.

"You'll try your best to improve yourself. I can tell that you wouldn't be happy with me, and the last thing I want is for you to be unhappy." Neji pulled away from the sobbing girl and looked her in the eye. "I want you to be free."

Tenten swallowed and nodded. "Okay, okay, I'll try. I'll try…"

"Thank you."

-----

Tenten took a breath and knocked. After a few seconds, the door opened. One of the two bright-eyed maids stood, smiling at the princess.

"Good morning, miss. I didn't think you would show up." She said with a nervous laugh. "Please, come in."

"Why are you welcoming me in? It's my closet." Tenten remarked, swaggering in and flopping herself down on a nearby leather beanbag. "Alright, maid-person-whose-name-I-do-not-know. Prettify me."

Tenten was going to keep her promise, if it was the last thing she did.

-----

Neji opened his eyes, groaning in the sudden light. He remembered the previous night's events and smiled saucily.

He wasn't sure what exactly he felt for Tenten, but the feeling was nice. It made him whole again. It filled the hole that had formed when his mother died. Neji swallowed and shook his head, messy brown hair flying around his shoulders.

He rolled over and snatched up his glass of water, taking a huge gulp and scratching his head. His silver eyes were half closed with tiredness, and his throat felt like crap.

"Well, Neji, that's what you get for not brushing your teeth before bed…" The teenager uttered to himself, sitting up and stretching. "I need some gum."

He rummaged around in his bedside drawer, producing a small packet of spearmint.

"Best before: 2007." Neji read aloud before shuddering and tossing the gum to one side.

He lay back again and sighed, letting it out in a long stream of breath. And there was one person that wouldn't leave his mind.

-----

Tenten winced at her reflection. She was wearing a pink dress with a hem that came half-way down her thigh, and it was decorated with white lace. From the waist down, the fabric was ruffled like the skirt she's worn on her first date with Neji, and she'd paired the dress with pink and white shoes. Tenten felt like vomiting.

"Well, miss, do you like it?" the maid asked with a bright smile.  
"Like? No." Tenten said, twisting her upper body to examine her outfit from the back. "Tolerate…maybe."

Tenten turned to the maid and bowed politely. "Thanks, maid-person. I'll be having words with father…maybe get you a raise."

Stumbling in her new high heeled shoes, Tenten turned and staggered out the door. In her pocket, her phone vibrated against her hip.

"Oh, crap, I'm vibrating!" Tenten laughed, fishing her phone out of her pocket and giggling like a drunk. She pressed 'answer'. "Hey-lo."

"Tenten, it's ten in the morning. Are you pissed?" Neji asked on the other end of the line.

"No, I'm not drunk." Tenten laughed again, leaning against the wall and waving at a passing by maid. "I just got me a new outfit. And I'm off to show daddy."

Neji flushed red. Whatever it was, he knew it would be cute. "Take some pictures for me, okay?"

"Drop dead, Hyuuga. Drop. Dead."

"Okay, sorry." Neji smiled to himself.

"So, did you want something?"

"Yeah…meet me on your balcony tonight, eight thirty. I have a surprise for you."

"Whatever it is, I don't want to know." Tenten said reluctantly. At the same time, though, butterflies filled her stomach. "I knew you were a stalker."

"I'm not a stalker!" Neji responded. "It's a nice surprise, I promise."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now get off the freakin' phone, Hyuuga, I'm low enough on credit as it is."

"Alright. Eight thirty."

"Maybe."

-----

Perhaps it was the fact that his daughter had gone to such lengths to make him happy. Or maybe it was because she looked so pretty. Either way, the emperors near-black eyes filled with tears.

"Tenten…you look…beautiful." He gulped, his voice thick. Tenten pranced down the stairs of the lobby, half-skipping, half-walking and holding out her arms in a swan-like fashion.

"Give me a twirl, darling!" he cried. As Tenten reached the bottom of the stairs, she twisted her upper body, and her legs followed. She flashed a grin and stretched her arms out to the side.

_I hate this. I fucking _hate _this._

_But I'm telling you, Hyuuga. I _will _keep my promise._

-----

_**E D I T : **_**end re-written. oh, i said that already. **

**Ugh. HATE how this turned out. Sorry, guys, this story's getting worse and worse by the chapter…**


	4. Moonlight

**Alright, suckers. Why do you love this **_**stupid **_**story so much? **

**But I love you for it. (: **

**Anyways. Chapter…four? Yeah. Four. **

**OOH! BTW! This chapter is dedicated to:**

**uchihacutie**

**AND…**

**xXImperfect AngelXx**

**Because they've been pretty damn hardcore reviewers so far. Every freakin' chapter. And I love them for it. (: **

**Hey, you want a dedication? Review. Go on, go for it. You know you want to. **

**Ah – anyways…enjoy!**

-----

Chapter Four: Moonlight

Neji took a deep breath as he watched Tenten flounce onto her balcony. She looked a whole lot different, but she looked beautiful all the same. He smiled at her, and she half-smiled back.

"So. You came. You are _such _a stalker, Hyuuga."

"You really have to stop calling me by my surname." Neji stepped forward, reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Tenten's ear. "Call me Neji."

"Alright…" Tenten blushed, gulping. "Neji."

"Right."

He put a strong hand on the princess' shoulder and leaned in, lips pursed. When he was just centimeters away, his hot breath on her face, Tenten ducked away leant casually on the railings. She blew upwards when he couldn't see, trying to cool herself down. Neji smirked at Tenten's back and rested his own back against the brick wall.

"Why'd you do that?" Tenten squeaked after a while in a quiet voice. "Try and…you know…k-k-k…"

"Kiss you? I don't know." Neji tilted his head to the sky and closed his silver-grey eyes. "I really like you."

_Holy crap, he likes me. What the hell do I say now?_

-----

Tenten rolled onto her stomach and continue to whine into the phone. "Hinata, what do I do? Your freakin' cousin likes me."

"Of course he does. It was so obvious from the start. Ino and I were up on the phone all – night – just talking about it." The dark-haired Hyuuga replied, waving her free hand about in a crazy attempt to dry her nails. Tenten made a mental note; talk now. Kill Yamanaka later.

"What? And you didn't tell me? Two of my best friends talking about my love life behind my back…what is this world coming to?" Tenten tutted, faking shame. Hinata raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Ah, so he's part of your _love _life, is he?"

Tenten squirmed in her seat and flushed an odd shade of red, fanning her face with her other hand. On the other end of the line, Hinata laughed her usual high pitched, fairy laugh.

"Oh, I'm good. I made _Tenten_ flustered. _The_ Tenten." She mocked her friend, switching the phone from one ear to the other. She held the phone between her cheek and her shoulder, and started to paint her other nails.

"Okay, so you're a pervert, and now you're a mindreader too? Great. Just great." Tenten muttered, tapping her fingers on the armrest of her chair. "I hate you, Hinata."

"Hate you too, Ten-chan." Hinata retorted playfully, swinging her legs over the armrest of _her _chair and admiring her freshly pedicured toenails. "Oh, I gotta go. Hinabi's going to a party tonight at her friend's house, and she needs my opinion on an outfit."

"Just go, tell her, 'that one', then leave again. Always worked when my mom needed advice on an outfit." Tenten smirked to herself. She leaned over and took a swig of juice. "I want your advice too."

"Okay, okay, one second." Hinata paused, then there was a muffled, "That one."

Tenten held in a round of applause.

"Okay, I'm back. So, what did you say-slash-do after he said…what he said?" Hinata asked, beckoning her maid over and mouthing the words, 'I need some sake'. "Neji wouldn't tell me anything."

"I…I said…" Tenten bit her lip. "I said that it was cool and then I ran off the balcony to hide in the garden."

"Oh, Tenten. Tenten, Tenten, Tenten."

"Hey, no need to Tenten-times-four me! I was caught off guard. A boy's never said it to me…besides, you'd react worse if Naruto said it to you."

"T-that's different!" Hinata squealed, her brain exploding at the mere mention of his name. "You don't feel the same way towards Neji as I feel towards Naruto!"

"So, are you admitting that you'd react worse?" Tenten questioned her friend with a giddy smile on her glossy pink lips.

"Eh – uh – um – if I say yes, will you hang up?"

"Yes."

"Alright, then, yes!" There was a long pause. "You're still there, aren't you?"

"Yep."  
Hinata gave an angry, aggravated sigh and threw her head back. "Look, do you want to marry Neji or not?"

"No! Well…yeah, no. Yes. No. What?" Tenten babbled, letting her words become confused whispers.

"What?"

"I don't know."

"Well. If you're so confused, why don't you get to know him better first, then make up your mind? Or make a list of qualities, good and bad, and decide whether or not he's worth it." Hinata suggested, twirling a few strands of her dark hair around her freshly-painted fingers. "I mean…I already know for a fact that he wouldn't mind marrying you."

"Yeah, but…what if I _don't _want to marry him, but then I _can't _improve. What do I do then?"

"Oh. I didn't think of that…well, then you're screwed."

"Thank you, Hinata." Tenten scowled, standing up and flouncing over to her window. "You really are helpful. Look, I'll talk to you later…I have something I have to do."

-----

Tenten took a breath and scraped her hair back into a high, messy ponytail. She rolled her sleeves up to her elbows and rubbed her gloved hands together. "Right. Let's do this."

She was stood in the palace kitchen, alone, and she was going to make enough cakes for Neji, her father, Hinata…plus whoever else wanted one. She was going to prove to herself – and to her father – that she had the willpower and the patience of a real princess.

Tenten turned on the oven, pre-heating it to about three-hundred-and-fifty degrees fareinheight. She lay out about 30 cupcake moulds and started to spray each one thoroughly with the nonstick spray stuff that she'd found in one of Hiro's cupboards. Tenten leaned over the kitchen counter and traced her finger along the page which was open at the recipe simply entitled, 'Dark Chocolate Cupcakes'. She read aloud as she dragged her finger over each word.

"To make the cupcakes, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt." She read, using her free hand to pull the four listed ingredients towards her as she said them. "Okay. Wait, what's sifting? Oh, right, it says here."

Following the directions in the book, Tenten poured some flour into her seive and began shaking the seive back and forth, allowing the soft near-white powder to fall through the minute holes and into the bowl. When all the flour was gone, she sifted the cocoa in, then the baking soda, and finally, the salt.

Once again following what the cookery book said, Tenten grabbed another bowl and put in some brown sugar, white sugar, and a few eggs. She started to whisk them all together, and when the ingredients had become a nice cream-like mixture, she added some milk, coffee, some already-melted butter and began to whisk again. Clutching the bowl under her arm and rotating her wrist like crazy, she smiled. Sure, her arms were killing her already and her favourite silken pyjamas were splattered with flour and milk, but all the bad feelings melted away just imagining the look on her fathers face. On Hinata's, on Neji's. Maybe even on Ino's, if Tenten got drunk enough to give her one of these cupcakes. It was all worth it, in the end.

The kitchen door inched open and some of the unnatural light from the main dining room flooded in. Tenten blinked and put her bowl down, squinting to see who was intruding on her private cooking time. In the gap between the door and the wall, was the faint outline of Hiro.

"Pri – Tenten? What are you doing in here so late, and…cooking?" the chef asked, pushing open the door more and stepping inside. "Did you think again about the whole cake thing?"

"I'm making cupcakes." Tenten muttered, focusing on her incomplete cake mixture and glaring. "It is none of your business, Hiro, and I don't need your help."

"Well…okay. I just thought I'd let you know that I'm leaving tonight."

Tenten's pale face softened. The hand that had been so feircely whisking just seconds ago fell away from the bowl, motionless and limp. "You are?"

"Your father thinks that I am not suitable enough to teach you the arts of cooking. I cannot teach you how to make _rice_. Therefore, I cannot teach you _anything_."

"Mm." Tenten looked away and picked up her first bowl and added the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder to the creamy mixture. "Well. It was nice knowing you. Good luck in the future."

Tenten dropped both bowls onto the counter, spun around and hugged the chef. He'd always been like an uncle to her, or a _way _older brother.

"It's okay, Tenten. I'll be fine. My cousin has already got a home and a job ready for me." Hiro chuckled nervously, rubbing the princesses back comfortingly. "Hey, good luck with these cakes."

"Thanks, Hiro." Tenten pulled away with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. "I'll try my very best for you."

Hiro picked up his spare aprons and oven gloves from the end of the worktop and turned to face Tenten with a wide grin. He winked. "Well, that's all I needed. Take care of yourself."

"I will, I will. When do I not?" she retorted cheekily, winking back.

And with that, Hiro turned and walked out the far door.

Tenten breathed in and turned back to her cooking. _I'm going to make you proud, Hiro. The student _will _become the master_.

She finished whisking the sticky mixture and put her bowl down. She grabbed a metal tablespoon and divided the mixture evenly between the cupcake cases. For a little bit of extra sweetness, Tenten sprinkled a tiny amount of sugar into each cupcake before placing a pair of baking trays loaded with cupcakes into the oven. Tenten stood up to her full height and rubbed her hands together.

"Okay, I have fifteen minutes to kill. I suppose I should get the baskets ready." She reached up and opened one of the over head cupboards, pulling out a plastic bag labelled, 'baskets'. She opened the bag and tipped out onto the worktop about five or six perfectly woven miniature picnic baskets, all complete with different colored ribbons and gift tags. She pulled up a barstool, hopped up, grabbed her sparkly blue gel pen from behind her ear and started to patiently write the gift tags.

_To Father,_

_Please remember that I will always love you, and I'm going to try my very best to become a better princess and make you happy._

_Love and hugs,_

_Tenten._

"Yeah, that'll do." Tenten thought out loud, attaching the tag to a basket with a jade green ribbon on it. Scanning over the other baskets, she grabbed one that had a lavender-colored bow tied in a complicated design.

_Dear Hinata,_

_I freakin' love you. Enjoy the cupcakes. But don't enjoy them too much, you'll get fat._

_Glomps,_

_Tenten_

_xxx_

"Okay, that's Hinata's one done…" Tenten's hands went tense and refused to move. The only one she had left to write – the only one that she would be willing to write when still sober – was Neji's. She found the willpower to reach out and pick up a basket, perfectly decorated with a silver ribbon tied in a simple bow.

_Neji,_

_I thought I should give you these to make up for how I ran away like that. I'm sorry._

_If it's any constellation,_

_I like you too._

_But not that way._

_So don't go getting any ideas, you freakin' stalker._

_Tenten_

_x_

She sighed and put her pen back behind her ear. She looked at the digital clock that was set in the headpiece thing of the oven. She'd managed to kill fifteen minutes. Wow. Time flies.

Tenten jumped down off her stool, opened the oven, and was welcomed by a warm, chocolately smell. She pulled on an oven glove over her normal cooking gloves, pulled out the top tray and beamed.

The cupcakes were, not to toot her own horn, _perfect_. They were a rich, chocolatey color, slightly marbled, but in a pretty way, not all over the place. And the smell…Tenten nearly fell over from how nice they smelt.

The girl plucked the small cakes one by one from the tray, putting about eight cakes in each basket and organising them into three neat rings. She pushed the completed baskets to one side and produced the other tray from the oven, wincing from the heat of the oven on her face. Looking around, she snatched a couple of tupperware boxes from another counter. Careful not to break them, Tenten began to load the remaining cupcakes into the boxes.

With a satisfied smile, Tenten dipped her fingers into a nearby box of icing sugar and sprinkled some of the sweet tasting powder over the cakes that were in the baskets. The sugar glimmered in the low light of the kitchen lamp.

"Okay. Glad that's over." Tenten dusted some flour from her pyjamas. "Now to get these suckers out to the ones I care for most."

-----

**Oooh? Cliffhanger?**

**No, I didn't think so either. But this chapter will be picked up in the next one though! (: **

**So, what did you think? Not too awful? Please review. I'll love you forever. x3**


	5. Alcohol

**Ahh…chapter five. I wonder what will happen now, children?**

**Lolburger. I don't know either.**

**Okay…so this chapter is dedicated to my friend Mia, who is currently in hospital with two broken ribs. Get well soon, Mia, I love you! :3**

**Okay. Erm. *insert disclaimer here***

-----

Chapter Five: Alcohol

Tenten smiled confidently as she knocked on her father's study door. "Come in!"

The girl opened the door, holding the basket behind her back. She grinned at her father, and he gave a stunned smile back, blinking.

"Tenten? What are you doing up this late?" the emperor rubbed his eyes, which were caked with sleep dust and ringed with black. "And why are you smiling? What did you do?"

"Nothing you should be ashamed of, father. For once, I'm being good." Tenten said cheerfully, slinking up to her father and loosening her grip on the basket handle. "I have a surprise for you."

"…Tenten, are you drunk?"

"Not yet, no." Tenten registered her father's expression. "Not that I was planning to get drunk. Anyway, here."

She pulled the basket out from behind her back and held it in the palm of her hand. Eyes wide, her father reached out slowly and took it. He examined it and looked up at his daughter.

"Y-you made these?"

"I did."

"By yourself?"

"By myself."

"When?"

"This evening."

The emperor stood up and placed the basket on his desk. After a couple of seconds, he threw his arms around Tenten, nearly breaking her back. "Thank you. See? You can be a real lady if you put your mind to it."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll see." Tenten replied softly, hugging her father back. "You're welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to…sleep."

"Ah, of course, you must be tired."

"Yeah, that's it." Tenten lied with a sweet smile. She turned on her heel and skipped out of the room. The emperor plucked one of the cupcakes from his basket and took a bite.

"Amazing…" he whispered. "My little girl…"

------

Tenten threw one of her pillows off the balcony. She wrapped her two remaining baskets in a few layers of cling film before hesitantly dropping them off, too. Heartbeat quickening in fear of her cupcakes being crushed, she jumped over the railings after them, knowing for a fact that she was safe. She'd done this a million times.

Tenten landed on the grass below with cat-like feet. She brushed herself down, raked her fingers through her messy hair and picked up the baskets. Not a crumb out of place. _Phew_.

She started for the front of her house. Tenten patted her pocket, making sure that the large wad of cash that she'd placed in there previously was still there. It was. She reached the front of the house and sidled up to the young security guard, who was sleeping peacefully in his sun lounger.

Tenten tapped him on the shoulder and he jolted awake. "Eh? Ah? Oh, princess. What are you - "

"Shh…" she hushed him, holding a finger to his lips and causing him to blush furiously. She took out the money, held together by a green rubber band, and slipped it into his hand. "The Hyuuga Mansion. On the double."

"Y-yes, ma'am!"

Tenten stalked after the guard down the driveway. As the couple approached one of the many cars that were parked on the drive, the guard called out to the night-shift driver. "Hyuuga Mansion, on the double!"

Tenten opened the back door to the car on her own, winking at the guard. She shut the door behind her and leaned forward to the driver. "Step on it, 'kay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

The car pulled down the driveway.

-----

Tenten stepped out of the car and slipped a few bills into the driver's hand. She nodded as a sign of gratitude, then turned to face the Hyuuga's home. It was a large, traditional Japanese home with a wooden porch in the front. Tenten gripped the basket handles behind her back and gulped. She started for the steps.

_I know Hinata will like her basket. She can't resist cupcakes. But what if Neji doesn't like it? What if they don't taste good? Hell, I hate this._

Tenten hesitated for knocking on the front door. A few moments later, a blurry eyed Hinata opened it and stared blankly at Tenten for a moment.

"Tenten..?" she said. "Why are you here? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, I just…um…I made cupcakes for you and…" she lowered her voice to a muffled sigh. "Neji."

"Aww, you made us cupcakes?" Hinata cooed, her voice going even higher than usual. "That's so sweet! You're well on your way to freedom, hun."

She snatched her cupcake basket and sniffed the cakes through the cling film. "Wow…they smell great. Thank you, Tenten!" she hugged her friend. "So, when are you gonna give Neji his?"

"I – I – um…could you give it to him for me?" Tenten asked, thrusting the other package into Hinata's palms and blushing furiously. "Thanks."

She turned and ran back down the front path, diving into the back seat of the car. "Drive."

-----

The next morning, Tenten woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. She groaned, rolled over, and picked up her phone. "What?"

"Tenten? It's Neji."

"Oh, good morning, my little stalker. What do you want?"

"Morning?" Neji laughed, closing his silver eyes and sitting down at the dining room table. "It's three in the afternoon."

Tenten shot bolt upright, her eyes wide. "Three in the afternoon? Are you serious? _Really?_"

"Yeah, really. I was just calling to see if you wanted to come for a drink with me this afternoon. Meet at the Gin no Kane bar at four?"

Tenten rubbed her dark orbs and sighed. She didn't know if drinking was such a good idea, especially when she was this tired.

"Oh, by the way, I got the cupcakes. Hinata came and woke me up in the middle of the night. I tried one, too." Neji said smoothly, trying to smooth talk her. "It was good."

"R-really? You liked it?" Tenten squeaked excitedly, heart racing.

"Yeah, I liked it." He bit his lower lip, smiling softly. "You're cute when you're proud of yourself."

"G-glad you liked it. I have more, if you w-want some." Tenten stuttered._Damn, I sound like Hinata when she's around Naruto._ "Um…yeah, a drink or two would be great."

"Cool, so I'll meet you at four?" Neji asked, standing up and grabbing his keys and wallet.

"Right. Meet you at four." Tenten smiled, rolling onto the floor and gesturing to the maid stood by her door to come in and make her bed. "See you then."

"Bye, Tenten." Neji hung up. She sighed and sat up on her knees, looking at the maid.

"…I gotta get dressed." Tenten suddenly remembered, telling the maid directly like it was some important realisation of great truth. Well. To Tenten, it was some important realisation of great truth. She scrambled to her feet and sprinted out of the door and down the hall to the closet.

She burst through the doors, panting and doubling over on the spot. Tenten finally found the strength to look up at the demon maids, who were sat on the beanbags gossiping.

"You – you. I'm going to a bar with Hyuuga. Make me…bar…ready." She commanded, standing up and putting her hands on her slim hips. "I was thinking something in neutral colors, quite relaxed and casual, but not too casual. Got it?"

"I think so." Both maids chorused in perfect harmony, both tilting their heads to the left and staring at Tenten with big dark eyes. The turned and looked at each other.

"I know a great outfit for her." The first maid said. They huddled and had a quiet conference. They spoke together. "Okay, miss. Let's go!"

-----

Neji grinned at Tenten as she neared the bar. She looked beautiful. Her dark hair was swinging loose around her shoulders, and she was wearing an amazing outfit. She had bleached blue skinny jeans and black boots that came to just below the knee. On the top half, she was wearing a dark brown tank top underneath a floaty, see-through caramel shirt.

"Hey, Tenten." Neji called, waving her over. "Glad you could make it. You look amazing."

"T-thanks." Tenten stuttered, looking down at her expensive leather boots and smiling shyly. "Let's go inside, it's…a little chilly."

"Okay, let's go." Neji said. He raised an eyebrow and grinned. "May I hold your hand?"

"No." Neji nodded once, still smirking.

"Alright. What do you want to drink?" Tenten turned to him as they reached the bar.

"I don't care, just get me something _very_ – alcoholic."

-----

Tenten giggled. Then hiccupped. Then hiccupped again. She draped her arm around Neji's neck and turned her head up to him.

"N-Neji…you're so – awesome…" she slurred, grinning dizzily. It was about eleven o' clock at night, and the only people left in the bar were Neji, Tenten, and a group of tipsy men who were sat drooling over Tenten.

"I know, I know." Neji assured Tenten, putting his arm around her shoulders too. "Look, maybe we should go home - "

"No! I'm not – going – home…I have a beer…a crowd of men…and a lovely boyfriend right – here." Tenten jabbed Neji in the chest twice. The young man blushed and his grey eyed opened wide.

_B-boyfriend? No. She's drunk_. _I'm not her boyfriend_.

"Come on." Neji hauled the girl onto his back and started to carry her out the door. Just as he reached the door, one of the men grabbed the back of Tenten's shirt.

"Hey, hey, where you goin', gorgeous?" the man said in a drunken stupor, slurring his words. "We weren't done talk – talking."

"We're going home." Neji replied sharply before Tenten could, and continued to walk out of the door. The man stepped forward and put his hand on Neji's shoulder.

"Me and the lady _weren't_. _Done_."

Neji gulped, and let Tenten off his back. She stumbled backwards into a chair and blinked at Neji, suddenly sobering up slightly. "Neji, leave him alone, let's just go."

Neji glared at the man, and looked at the princess. "You sure?"  
"Yes." She replied, standing up and making a grab for the wall to keep herself upright. "Now let's go."

Neji took her by the hand and dragged her away from the crowd. An angry look on his face, he muttered to himself.  
"Stupid drunk idiots…trying to take advantage of a girl when she's pissed out of her mind…" he suddenly stopped. Tenten…was _laughing._ "What? What's funny? I nearly got into a fight and you're _laughing?_"

"You were worried about me." Tenten stopped walking and grinned. "You were so – worried. Ha! I'd even go to the extent of saying you were _scared _for me. How cool am I?"

"The coolest…" Neji murmured, grabbing her hand again and pulling her down the country lane. "Yes. I was worried."

He stopped in his tracks and pulled her into a hug. Tenten's shoulders tensed. "N-Neji…"

"Promise me, that when you're free…you will _never _end up with a guy like that."

"You make me keep a lot of promises."

"_Promise me_."

"…Alright…I…prom…issss…" Tenten fell asleep in his arms. He smiled softly and put her on his back. As he carried her home, all he could think about was what she'd said before.

_A lovely boyfriend._

_Maybe I should get her drunk more often._

-----

Neji lay the sleeping girl down on his bed and bit his lip. Hinata, who had helped carry her from the front door to the spot they stood in at that moment, looked up at Neji.

"Is it really okay for Tenten to sleep here? In _your _room?"

"It's okay. I called her father, and I'm going to sleep in the spare room. On that futon thing."

Hinata's eyes softened and she pursed her lips. "You really like her, don't you?"

"Let's just say…I would do _anything _for her."

-----

"Uhh…"

Tenten woke up with a pounding headache. And a sleeping Neji sat by her bed, in a chair, holding her hand. She pulled her own slim fingers away from his, embarrassed, and blinked.

_He watched me sleep…_

_He looks so peaceful. He's almost cute when he's sleeping._

_I wonder what would happen if I kissed him. Would I feel anything? _

Before she could be tempted, Tenten slipped out of bed and ran downstairs.

-----

**Eh. I think this chapter came out alright-ish. I could do better.**

**This is probably one of the chapters that I'll rewrite when I've completed the whole story.**

**Anyways. Enough about me. What'd you think? Like it? Hate it? I don't care, just review. (:**

**This is ponyvomit.x - over & out. **


	6. Picnic

**Ughh, sorry I haven't updated in a few days. Been sick recently, and unable to write anything without venting my irritation and pain into my work.**

**Um. Yeah. This chapter is dedicated to…**

**tigers-and-dragons**

**Who wanted some more NaruHina. Well, here you go. :D**

-----

Chapter Six: Picnic

Hinata passed her friend a mug of her famous cocoa, and put her hands on her slim, pyjama-clad hips.

"Tenten. You didn't." Tenten was curled up on the Hyuuga's couch, wrapped in a blanket and now sipping from the steaming mug, trying to warm herself. It was a relatively cold day, but the weather forecast said that it would brighten up by about one o' clock.

"I did." She groaned.

"You nearly _kissed _him? I thought you didn't want to marry him!"

"I – I don't! I just…he looked so peaceful…I couldn't – I didn't - " Tenten hesitated, put her mug on the coffee table, then threw her hands in the air. "Ugh! Look. Stop bothering me with my love life and focus on Uzumaki!"

Hinata blushed at the mention of his surname. "N-no. It's okay. I'm going to help you with N-Neji. So…do you want to marry him or not?"

"I don't want to marry him." Tenten said flatly, crossing her legs and wrapping her fingers around her cocoa again.

"Then what do you think of him? A friend, more than a friend?"

"Well…I don't…want to marry him…" Tenten stuttered. "But…he's…sweet, I guess. I can see him as…a big brother figure."

"_Just _a big brother figure?" Hinata jolted her hip out to the side and glared at Tenten, the fierce blush starting to fade from her cheeks. "Come on, Ten. I can tell you like him _at least_ a little bit."

No response.

"Oh my gosh, you _like _him!"

"_Shut up_."

-----

"Morning, Tenten."

Tenten squeaked and jumped at the sudden noise that pierced through the silence, a few drops of hot brown liquid spilling over the edge of her mug and dropping down onto her legs. "Oh, shit!"

"Off to a good start, then, I see." Neji laughed, standing behind her and leaning on the sofa, his face close to hers. "How are you this morning? Not too hung over?"

"N-no." she said, scooting to the other end of the sofa. "I'm fine, thank you."

"I see. So, I suppose you're well enough to come with me on a picnic?" he asked, jumping over the sofa and sitting down on one of the large, leathery pillows. Tenten snapped back to earth, leaned forward and looked at Neji.

"A picnic?" she asked, raising one eyebrow. "What is this, the Victorian era?"

"No. But if you aren't comfortable with just me, we could invite Hinata and Uzumaki, too. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to tag along. And Hinata would be over the moon, having a picnic with Naruto." Neji offered, looking Tenten in the eye with a smile. "Sound like a plan?"

"Sure. Sounds like a plan." She replied, grinning.

"Cool, I'll go phone Uzumaki. You get Hinata."

"Got it!" Tenten stood up and ran up the stairs to find Hinata. "_Hinata! Get your ass out of the shower!_"

-----

Two hours later, the quartet were speeding along a country lane in Neji's silver convertible. Tenten was sat in the shotgun seat, and looked gorgeous. Her brown hair was tied up in her trademark twin buns, but she'd tied white ribbons around the hair ties to match her outfit. She was wearing a white summer dress that came to just above her knees, courtesy of Hinata's closet. On her feet were a pair of white-silver gladiator sandals.

Naruto and Hinata occupied the back seats. As Naruto struck up another pointless conversation with the dark-haired girl, the driver, also known as Neji, pulled up at the base of a large hill and cut the engine. He turned in his seat.

"We're here." He stated. Tenten looked doubtfully at the hill, puckering her lips into the pout that she thought she had banished forever.

"This is a hill."

"Yes, that is indeed a hill."

"How are we gonna have a freakin' picnic on a hill that steep?" Tenten asked, punching Neji lightly on the shoulder for his 'that is a hill' comment. "Wouldn't everything fall off the blanket?"

"No, because we're not having the picnic on the hill. We're having it on the other side." Neji nodded once to indicate that the conversation was over, smirked, and got out of the car. Tenten glanced at Hinata, who was the only remaining passenger in the back. Naruto had already shot out of the car and was sprinting up the hill.

"Thank you for inviting me, Tenten." Hinata said shyly, as the two got out of the car. "I think Naruto and I are really hitting it off."

"Don't thank me, thank Hyuuga." Tenten argued, following Neji and Naruto up the hill and linking arms with Hinata. "It was his idea."

"But…don't you think you should've come here…you know, just you and Neji?"

"Why would I do that?" Tenten replied, chuckling. "I told you, I don't like him like that. I see him as a friend."

"Alright." Hinata replied smugly, unlinking her arm and running up the hill. Tenten frowned.

"Hey!" she called, starting to run after her. By the time she'd reached Neji, she was tired out.

"Carry me." She moaned, leaning against his arm and panting heavily. He laughed softly and wrapped his arm around her near-bare shoulders.

"Come on, we're nearly there." He comforted her, half dragging her through the grass. She sighed and carried on trudging forward, looking down at the dirt beneath the greenery.

"You know…Hinata will kill me if I get these shoes dirty."

"I'll pay for them to be cleaned." Neji said. "Now, stop staring at the ground and look up."

Tenten looked up.

She gasped.

A few meters below her was a huge field, seemingly endless. There were a few large sakura trees dotted around, which were each spewing pink blossoms. The grass was a perfect shade of green, a little shiny from the sunlight. It was a perfect spot for a picnic.

"Alright! This place is _awesome_!" Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs, punching the warm air. "Come on, Hinata, let's go!"

He grabbed Hinata by the hand and started running down the embankment. Hinata let out a little yell as she was jolted forward, finding it difficult to keep up.

"Idiot…" Neji murmured, smiling at the couple. He looked at Tenten, who's mouth was slowly falling open. "Come on. Let's go."

Tenten nodded slowly and trailed after Neji down the smaller hill. She blinked, snapping out of her daze, and grinned. She ran ahead of Neji, snatching his wrist as she passed. "Hurry up, Hyuuga, I'm freakin' starving!"

Neji tightened his grasp on the picnic basket as he fell forwards, jogging after Tenten and trying to keep up.

Naruto waved his friends over from under one of the sakura trees. "Hey guys! We should eat here. It's really shady and I can _not _afford to get sunburn."

Hinata blushed and giggled.

Neji pulled Tenten to a stop. He looked her in the eyes and smiled. "You want to eat there?"

"I'm really not bothered." Tenten shrugged, her stomach letting out a long, loud growl. "As long as there's food, I'm happy."

"Cool, let's go." Neji said, starting for the spot where Hinata and Naruto were already sat down, talking confidently with each other. Neji pointed to them. "I think that…is the beginnings of love."

"Yeah." Tenten grinned shyly, shading her eyes from the sun as she looked to the sky.

-----

"Wow, Neji, this is amazing!"

Naruto, Tenten and Hinata stared in amazement at the dishes of food that were laid out before them. Onigiri, curry, fruit and vegetables, teriyaki chicken…there was so much; Tenten didn't think that they'd finish it all, even with four of them.

"How you made this in just an hour and a half is _beyond me_." Hinata shook her head in a daze, kneeling up on her calves and breaking apart a pair of wooden chopsticks. "Wait, don't say anything, I just wanna eat it."

"Yeah! Time to chow down!" Naruto screeched, also snapping his chopsticks and holding them up in the air. He blinked twice, then remembered his manners. "Hinata, would you like me to pass you the chicken?"

"Y-yes please." Hinata stammered. She picked up the plate of onigiri and held it out to him. "O-onigiri?"

"Thanks! I'll trade you." Naruto beamed, taking a rice ball. Hinata took a lump of teriyaki chicken and bowed her head.

"Thank you very much!" she squeaked, hiding her luminous blush behind her bangs. Naruto laughed, tossing back his head.

"No need to be so formal, Hinata." He teased, poking the top of her head. "It's just chicken, right?"

"Right. Just chicken."

Tenten looked away and sniggered, embarrassed for Hinata's sake. Neji caught Tenten's eye and thought the exact same thing as she did.

_Poor Hinata_.

-----

An hour later, all the food was gone.

Hinata slumped against the trunk of the tree and sighed, rubbing her stomach. "It feels like I'm gonna explode. Tell my parents I love them."

"You're not dead yet." Naruto stood up and held out his hand to Hinata. "Come on, let's run a lap around the field."

"What?" Hinata burst out laughing. "Are you crazy? You don't eat, then run."

"Ah, who cares? Come on, I'll carry you if you get tired."

Hinata's cheeks tinted pink and she took his hand. He pulled her upright and started with a light jog. Hinata trailed after him, still giggling like a child. Neji sighed happily.

"And then there were - " Neji paused. "Two."

He smiled down at Tenten. She was sleeping soundly on the grass, her lips slightly parted. Neji wondered how she could fall asleep so quickly. A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

_She looks so peaceful when she's sleeping._

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the tree, forming a leopard skin pattern on her pace. She breathed slowly, her chest rising, then falling in sync with the sound of the wind weaving its way through the grass. Neji found himself inching closer and closer to the girl, heart pounding.

_Is this wrong? Is it really alright for me…to kiss her when she's sleeping? I mean, I could lose an eye if she found out._

He closed his eyes. His heartbeat in his ears, he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was brief, and only lasted a second or two, but it was still _amazing_. Fireworks seemed to dance in front of Neji's eyes.

He sat up and looked around, just checking to make sure Naruto or Hinata didn't see. They were still somewhere on the far side of the field, Hinata on Naruto's back and screaming with childish laughter.

Neji breathed out, resisting the urge to fan his face.

That kiss had just changed everything.

He started packing away the dirty plates and empty glasses into the basket, trying to occupy his mind with something other than that kiss. When everything was cleared away, he lay down on the blanket and folded his arms behind his head.

The next time he looked over at Naruto and Hinata, they were speeding back towards him, holding hands. Naruto skidded down onto the blanket and shook Neji's shoulders.

"I'm awake, I'm awake." Neji muttered, sitting up and glaring at his friend. "What time is it?"

"It's…five o' clock." Hinata stated, squinting in the sunlight at her watch and sitting down on the grass. "We should wake Tenten up and get going."

"R-right." Neji stuttered, just hearing her name reminding him of the kiss. He tapped Tenten on the shoulder. "Tenten. Wake up."

Hinata huffed and shoved Neji out of the way. "That's not how you wake her up, she's a _very _heavy sleeper."

She leaned down, her mouth right beside Tenten's ear. She took a breath and blew into her friend's ear. The princess rolled over and, still half-asleep, kicked Hinata's kneecap. "Alright, I'm awake. Your breath is…really cold."

She sat up and rubbed her eyes free of sleep dust. She winced at the sight of Hinata rubbing her grass stained knee with an expression that simply read, 'ouch'.

"Sorry. Did I kick too hard?" Tenten asked with a small giggle.

"No, it's okay." Hinata got to her feet and began bundling up the blanket. "We're going home."

Tenten nodded and scratched the side of her head. She then turned to Neji with wide innocent eyes. She extended her arm and held out her hand, palm facing up. "Help me up, Hyuuga."

Neji did as she said, blushing lightly as his hand came into contact with hers. Her hand was so warm; Neji didn't want to let go.

He stooped down and hooked the basket handle around his elbow. Still gripping Tenten's hand, he looked at his friends with a warm grin. "Let's go home."

-----

**Holy crap, I hate how this chapter came out. I am **_**SO **_**rewriting this when I'm done. **

**Review. And please, feel free to flame. (:**

**Lots of love,**

_**ponyvomit.x**_


	7. Painting

**Woah. I wrote this quickly. Two chapters in one day? I'm so sad. **

**Never thought I'd come this far… but it's you guys that are keeping me going, so this chapter's dedicated to everyone who's reviewed/faved. (:**

**Haha. Just realised. I haven't done a disclaimer since chapter three. Ah, well. **

**I think that's it, then. ON WITH THE STORY!**

-----

Chapter Seven: Painting

"You know, the paintings in your house are really nice." Neji observed, putting his hands behind his back. He was strolling along the corridors of Tenten's home, accompanied by the princess herself. Tenten cocked an eyebrow and gazed at a large canvas that hung on the wall to her right. It was a picture of a beach, with golden sand and cobalt waves crashing against the rocks. Of course, it was a very good picture; it was so lifelike, but it didn't really appeal to Tenten.

"Eh, they're alright. It's not like I can paint, so they don't really interest me." She muttered, turning her attention back to Neji and shrugging one of her shoulders. "I've never been very good at drawing, and I don't tend to pay attention to things I can't do well."

"Really? Because, I don't mean to brag or anything, but I'm really good at art. I could teach you if you want me to." He observed her uninterested expression. "You know, painting is a skill that every good princess has."

Tenten gulped and averted her eyes, remembering the promise that she'd made to him just five days ago. She was determined to make herself into a better princess, so really, she didn't have a choice.

"Alright…what's the catch?" she asked, staring at him. She suddenly regretted her words, as she _really _didn't want to have painting lessons, especially with the likes of Neji. The Hyuuga boy shook his head and laughed a soft, introvert laugh.

"No catch. I want to help you." He hesitated, biting down on his lower lip. "But…do you have any more of those cupcakes you made me? I kinda…really liked them."

"I knew these lessons wouldn't be free. Freakin' Hyuuga." Tenten scowled at him, but was unable to hide the slight smile that tugged at the corner of her lips. "Alright, alright, I have a few left over from when I first made them. There's about six left. Will that be enough?"

"That's perfect. Thank you." Neji nodded. "So, when do you want to get started? With the lessons, I mean."

Tenten looked away, twisting her lips into her 'thinking' pout. After a couple of seconds, her mouth returned to it's original shape and she gave him an innocent smile. "Later today? About one?"

"Sure. One." Neji confirmed the time. There was an awkward silence. Tenten swayed back on her heels, clasping her hands together behind her back.

"So…I'll see you at one. I'm going to go and change into some decent painting clothes. You can stay here if you want. Watch some TV. Hang out. Do whatever." Tenten said. With a single wave of her hand, she turned and started walking down the hall. She continued to speak with her back to him. "Meet me in my room at one. See you later."

Neji stood there for a minute, staring at her back as she walked away, humming to herself. It made him smile. The way she walked, the way she was humming…she was happy. And that was all it took to make _him_ happy.

-----

Neji knocked on the wooden door nervously, brushing down his shirt. He heard Tenten loud and clear, even through the heavy door.

"Shit! One second, don't come in!" she called. Neji turned red, as his dirty mind assumed she was still changing. Neji mentally kicked himself. _Do not think about her in her underwear. That's beyond wrong._

After a moment, Tenten opened the door with a pleasant smile, acting composed and confident like nothing had happened. She was dressed in a stripy red and white tee-shirt under a purposely ripped dungarees. On her hands were a pair of red fingerless gloves, and she was wearing red and white Converse high-tops. Neji would never admit it, no matter how much you paid him, but he thought she looked adorable.

"Hi! Come on in." Tenten chirped, pulling her dark hair into a tight ponytail and fastening it with the black hair tie that was previously hanging off her wrist like a bracelet. She giggled nervously and scratched the nape of her neck. "Sorry about that…I was sort of…taking my time getting dressed, and I didn't realise what time it was."

"It's okay." Neji said, still slightly flustered from the mental image he'd had. "I see you've got all the art stuff ready."

He was right. Over in the corner of the room was an easel, complete with a medium sized canvas, and beside it stood a small end table, cluttered with paints, a pencil, and a few different brushes. Tenten beamed excitedly.

"Are they okay? I borrowed them from dad's study, and I wasn't sure if they were the right things…please tell me they're alright, they were friggin' heavy, getting them from the study to here. It doesn't seem like much of a journey, but I tell you - "

"They're fine." Neji stopped her continuous stream of babbling by pressing his index finger to her lips. She looked up at him with Bambi eyes and swallowed. She nodded quickly and pulled away without another word.

"Alright, so, let's see…what sort of thing do you want to paint first?" Neji asked, picking up a brush and examining the bristles at the top. Tenten put one hand on her hip and thought for a second. She regained her tough-girl composure and looked at him with bored brown orbs.

"Well, I gave it some thought, and I really don't know. Something easy, something even I could do. Like a bunny, but…not." She walked towards him slowly, almost seductively. "Maybe…I could paint…you?"

Neji wasn't sure to take that as an insult or not.

"Well, okay, if you really want. But won't it be a little hard?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, how can I be behind the easel, instructing you, _and _sat in front of the easel being a model for the painting?" Neji reasoned, silently mocking her idiocy. Tenten frowned and clenched her fists.

"I want to do this painting by myself! I know I can do it. Well, I can't do it well, but I can do it all the same, I don't need real coaching! And if I get frustrated, you can step it, but I just - "

Neji cut her off again, but this time, not with his hands. He stopped her from speaking with a quick kiss. It didn't even last a second, but Tenten froze and turned red. She brushed her fingertips against her mouth and stared at Neji.  
"N-Neji, did you just…kiss me?" she stammered, heart hammering in her chest. She should've been angry, but for some reason, she wasn't.

"Yes. And…" Neji took a deep breath. "It wouldn't be the first time."

Tenten laughed nervously. "What are you talking about? We never kissed…until now, I mean."

"Yesterday, when you were asleep, I kissed you. It was only a quick one, I swear, and it doesn't have to mean anything to you, and - "

Tenten stood on her tiptoes and pecked him on the lips. She returned to her original height, looking away with a scowl on her face. "That didn't mean anything. It's just…it shut me up…I just tried it on you. Looks like it worked. Now then, can we get back to painting?"

"You just kissed me."

"It didn't mean _anything_." Tenten spat back, humiliated by her own actions. "We will _never _speak of this again, okay? And we don't _do _it again. Ever."

"Okay. Well. Let's get started."

Neji felt his heart sink.

-----

"Wow, that looks…pretty good, for a beginner." Neji praised Tenten, examining her finished painting. The eyes were a little close together, and the skin was slightly too pink, but other than that, it was great. Really great. Of course, he wouldn't admit that. "Good job, Tenten. And it only took you…six hours."

"Thanks." She murmured, scuffing the toes of her high tops against the carpet. "It's not that good."

"No, really, it's good. Kinda hard to believe that you said you weren't good at art."

"Yeah, well."

A gauche silence hung over them like a giant curtain. Neji sighed, his shoulders falling.

"Look, Tenten. I'm really sorry…for, you know, kissing you when you were sleeping." He said, turning to her. Her body was twisted in the opposite direction to where Neji was. "It was stupid, and wrong, and I'm really, really sorry."

"Oh, don't worry. It's just my body." Tenten spat, shooting daggers at the wall. "My unconscious, helpless, _vulnerable _body. It doesn't. Matter."

Neji's eyebrows twitched into a small frown. He rubbed his temples, aggravated by her words. "Listen, Ten, I - "

"Don't call me Ten."

"Listen, _Tenten_." He corrected himself, now talking to her back. "You're acting like I raped you or something. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What happened to, _'I want to you be free'?_ Hm? Because, how can I be free when I feel pressured into being with you?"

"Huh?"

"It makes me feel _guilty_, Neji." Tenten said, raising her voice at him and whipping around. "It makes me feel guilty when you treat me nicely, and compliment me, because _I _don't want you, and _I _can't treat you the same way."

Neji blinked. "So…do you want to be with me…or not? I just want you to be - "

"Yeah, happy, I know, I know, I get it!" she said, stepping closer to him. "No, I don't _want _be with you. But you make it _so hard_ for me, Neji! You make me feel like I _have _to be with you because you treat me so special. And now…I just don't know what to do with myself…"

With those final words, she fell to her knees in front of him and started crying lightly into her hands. Neji stood dormant, gazing down at her in pure shock.

_She feels pressured into being around me._

Slowly, choosing his actions wisely, he stooped down as well and put his strong hands on her shoulders. They were shaking as she sobbed, and her whole body seemed to be quivering. After a few moments of the awkward positioning, Neji got onto his knees and wrapped his arms around the crying girl.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm so…sorry."

Tenten hiccupped and hugged him back. "No…I'm sorry. I'm being such a bitch."

"You're not a bitch." He smiled, pulling out of the hug. "You're just confused, and I understand. But please, don't feel pressured into liking me. Keep your promise to me, and to your dad. Okay?"

"Okay, I get it." Tenten spat, her voice thick. "But, um…thank you. For understanding. That is something that no-one…has ever been able to do before."

-----

That evening, Neji sat holding the girl for some time before she stopped crying fully. And when he left, she was smiling.

"_Neji, I don't like you the same way you like me." She said. "But you're the only person I have ever been able to open up to. And, even though I don't like you, I just want you to know…"_

Neji grinned as he remembered her final words.

"_I liked those kisses." _

That had to be a good sign, right? Neji wasn't sure, but what he did know, was that he had faith in Tenten. He knew she was going to be freed.

-----

"TENTEN DID YOU REALLY I MEAN SERIOUSLY TELL ME THE TRUTH DID YOU _REALLY_?"

Tenten held the phone away from her ear for a second to drown out Hinata's string of screams. When she returned the phone to her ear, she smiled.

"Yes, really. He kissed me and I kissed him back."

"Did you like it? How was it? Do you think you want to marry him?"

"Don't get me started, Hinata. No, I still don't want to marry him. But I might be having second thoughts about that brother thing."

-----

**GAH. Now I'm tired. **

**Adios, and please review :D  
**


	8. Single Rose

**Yay! Eighth chapter!**

**This one's dedicated to:**

**ShikaTem Sand-Leaf**

**For giving me a tonne of support from the beginning. I love you. (: **

**Okay, so. Yeah. Chapter eight. Wooh!**

-----

Chapter Eight: Single Rose

"Neji!"

Said Hyuuga turned, smiling as he saw Tenten running towards him, waving her long arms around in the air like a madman. She was wearing blue jeans and a simple white tee-shirt, and a pair of white and silver sneakers. She caught up with him and clapped him on the back, panting heavily.

"Hey – I've – been – running – to catch up – for – at least – five minutes." She said. She coughed a couple of times, then looked up at him, her soft hand still on his tee-shirt clad shoulder. "Why do you walk so fast?"

"Sorry. I didn't notice you were there." He replied sheepishly, propping her upright. "What are you doing here, anyway, Tenten?"

The two were stood in the maze in Neji's back garden. Tenten was surprised the first time she heard he had a _maze _in his _garden_. Not even she had one, and she was higher up than him on the metaphorical food chain.

"Hinata let me in. I came to give you these." Tenten scrambled around in her small, baby blue backpack and produced a second basket of cupcakes. She flashed him her adorable smile and held out the bundle to him. "A promise is a promise, right?"

"Right. Thanks. I'll enjoy these even more than the first lot." Neji said, taking the basket by the woven handle. Tenten blinked her wide Bambi eyes and tilted her head to one side.

"How come?"

"Because I did something for you in return. The first time, you gave them to me completely off the cuff, so I didn't get anything out of it. This time, I get something out of it. Make sense?" he explained, staring happily at the cupcakes. "Here, have one."

He plucked one from the basket and shoved it straight into Tenten's mouth. Tenten chewed it, shocked that he'd been so forceful in giving her one, and glanced at the azure, clear sky.

"Yeah, I guess it makes sense." She said with her mouth full. Tenten held herself back from saying something about him being too nice to her. She gulped down the mushy remainders of the chocolate flavoured cake and smiled directly at him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Neji looked away, trying to cover the feint blush that was slowly spreading across his cheeks. She just looked so adorable…she couldn't help it. Tenten's grin slowly faded, turning into a solemn expression.

"And…about last night. I'm sorry I went all physco-bitch on you. It was just a kiss, right?" she winked, her face switching back to that cute smile of hers. Neji nodded quickly.

"It's okay. I don't mind." He stammered, his throat dry.

"And I had fun last night. Painting isn't so bad." Tenten started ranting, turning ninety degrees and putting her hand to her chin. "It's actually quite relaxing. Cuz, you know, I was really mad at you, but painting calmed me down…"

_She's oblivious_. Neji thought. _So _fucking_ oblivious._

_But she's cute when she doesn't have a clue._

Neji tapped Tenten on the shoulder, stopping her in the middle of her rant. She stopped in her tracks, lowered her arms and turned her head. After a few seconds of a blank look, Tenten winced.

"Sorry. Was I going on? I tend to do that…" she spun around and clasped her hands together in front of her. Neji smirked and tilted her bent head upwards with his index finger.

"It's okay. It was funny."

"Funny? What's funny? I was just _praising _your lesson thingy and you find it _funny_?"

"Oh! Uh – nothing…was…"

"I hate you, Hyuuga!"

Neji smiled. Because he'd finally learnt that those were the four words she never meant.

-----

Laughter echoed through the labyrinth.

"Who knew sitting in a maze could be so fun?" Tenten thought out loud, leaning back on her arms. Neji shrugged.

"When we were kids, Hinata and I used to come out here a lot and just talk. But, you know, it wasn't as fun with Hinata…as it is with you."

Tenten paused. "There are so many ways you could interpret that, Hyuuga."

Neji laughed again, causing Tenten to laugh with him. He pulled up a clump of grass from the ground and threw it in her direction. She dodged it, still laughing louder than she'd ever laughed before, and did the same. Only, there was a _little too much _grass, and Neji couldn't dodge it. Freshly cut grass mixed with brown hair. Tenten stared, open-mouthed, and started to giggle quietly at his shocked expression.

"You look like I just took of my shirt, Neji, geez!" Tenten said, stifling a smile. She shook her head with a grin, leaned forward, and started plucking grass from his locks. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, I suppose you were just fighting fire with…more…fire." Neji said, slowing down towards the end of his sentence. He blushed furiously as he noticed the position Tenten was in. Tenten looked at him, sighed and rolled her chocolate brown eyes.

"Damn, Hyuuga, grow up."

_How can I when you're sat in a position that shows off so much cleavage? _

He looked away and brushed the grass out of his hair himself. Tenten smirked and sat back in her original stance. He sighed quietly with relief; another second of that view would've driven him crazy.

"Hm. Interesting. Did I get _the _Hyuuga Neji flustered?" Tenten asked suggestively, lowering her eyelids and batting her lashes. Neji smirked.

"Not flustered. Call it excited."

This threw Tenten off slightly. She was expecting him to be flustered, not excited about it. She was hoping she could toy with him a little. Or maybe even piss him off to the extent he'd stop being so nice.

Neji knew this of course. But he didn't want to stop being nice to her. He was going to make her happy, whether she liked it or not.

The look on his face told Tenten that he could see right through her plan. She crossed her arms and legs and turned away, sulking like a child. "I hate you."

"I know."

After a few seconds of awkwardness, Neji turned around, plucked a single red rose from one of the maze 'walls' and tapped Tenten on the shoulder again. She sighed loudly and rotated her upped body.

"What is it now…" her voice trailed off into nothing as she saw him holding the rose out to her. "Hyuuga."

He pressed the rose into Tenten's palm and smiled softly.

"Here. Take it." He whispered, wrapping his hands around hers. Tenten stared at him with moon-like eyes.

"W-what is this for?" she stammered, her voice as quiet as his. Grey eyes clashed into brown.

"It's been ten days since we first met." He smiled at her, eyes sparkling. "So I guess…"

"Happy ten day anniversary, right?" Tenten teased, giggling and holding her free hand to the corner of her mouth. "You make it sound like we're a couple."

"Sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that…"

"Happy ten day anniversary." Tenten cut him off. And with that, she leaned in and pecked him on the lips.

She pulled away, smiling all over her face. Neji took a breath, shocked.

"I thought you didn't want us to ever do that again."

"I was angry at the time." She shrugged, closing one eye. "But that still doesn't mean I like you."

"No! No, of course not." Neji smirked. "It's just…people with a brother-sister relationship don't tend to kiss like that."

Tenten thought about it for a moment. Then she looked back at him, beaming. "How about like this?"

She allowed the rose to fall from her hand. It landed in between them, rolled on the ground for a moment, then lay dormant in a long patch of grass. Tenten took Neji's face in her hands, and kissed him on the lips again. But this time, for longer, and with a lot more meaning.

When they pulled away for air, Tenten smirked cockily at Neji, who, surprisingly, wasn't blushing. "I still hate you."

"I know."

-----

Tenten collapsed through the front door, her head still buzzing from the days kisses. She swaggered across the lobby, trailing her sneakers on the red carpet, and headed for the stairs. She continued down the hall until she reached her room, where she opened her door, closed it quietly and calmly, and proceeded to throw herself onto her bed. She resisted the urge to scream into her pillow, as that would almost definitely bring the maids running, so instead, she grabbed said pillow and hurled it against the opposite wall.

"Why? Why did you have to kiss him?" she asked herself, speaking as loud as she allowed herself to. She continued to rant to herself, walking in circles. "You've gone and changed _everything._ He probably thinks you like him now, which you don't! And that's pretty unfair because it's not my fault he's gorgeous and I couldn't resist! I mean his lips were _right there_, what was I suppose to do, punch him? _Ugh_."

Tenten banged her forehead against the wall a single time before saying, "Ouch."

She hesitated before grabbing her phone and dialling a number. For the first time in a few days, the person she was calling was neither Neji, nor Hinata. In fact, it was the person Tenten never thought she'd ever find herself calling.

After a few rings, the person picked up. "Hel-_loo_?"

"Hi, Ino. I need to talk to you."

-----

"So let me get this straight. You kissed her while she slept, you kissed her again, then she kissed you and got mad about it." Hinata asked, strolling up and down in front of Neji, who was sat comfortably on the sofa.

"That's right."

"Then today, she kissed you and was completely fine with it."

"Yeah, and afterwards she seemed pretty - "

"Give me a straight answer, Neji!"  
"Yes! She was fine with it!" Neji snapped, oddly afraid of his younger cousin. He held up both hands and rocked backwards in his seat, feigning fear. Hinata stroked her chin and glared down at her cousin.

"And you're _sure _you're not lying." She asked, not one hundred percent convinced by his story.

"I'm sure I'm not lying."

"Hyuuga swear on it. Hyuuga swear you're not lying."

Neji sighed, bored and irritated of this showdown now. "Hinata. I Hyuuga swear I'm not lying."

"Interesting." Hinata walked away, whipping out her cell phone and pressing three; Tenten's speed dial number.

-----

Tenten rolled over in her bed to the sound of her new ringtone. She checked the called ID, and groaned, only to see the word 'Hinata' flash up on the screen. She hit 'Accept Call' and held the phone to her ear

"What do you want? Hinata, it's…" Tenten pulled the phone from her ear for a second to check the phone. "Two forty six. Make what you wanna say quick, alright?"

"You kissed Neji."

"Yeah, so?" Tenten muttered, flipping onto her back. "You kissed Naruto."

"What? No I didn't!" Hinata cried. Tenten smirked.

"That's not what my blog says." Hearing Hinata squeal, she laughed. "Kidding, kidding. Anyway. So I kissed him. It doesn't have to mean anything, right?"

"Tenten. I think you should know this. My great-great-grandparents kissed in that maze. My great-grandparents kissed in that maze. My grandparents kissed in that maze. And my parents kissed in that maze. What does that tell you, hm?"

"That you come from a long line of romantics. So?" Tenten shrugged it off.

"_I mean_ that chances are…now that the two of you have kissed _in that maze_, you're gonna get married and have little Neji-Tenten babies." Hinata babbled, now forcing out her words in – what Tenten called - a crazy string of bull. Tenten rolled her eyes, and decided that that moment was perfect for a Mean Girls quote.

"Boo, you whore!" Tenten said, hanging up. She lowered her voice and muttered to herself. "Damn, I need a new phone. And Hinata's not having my…new…number."

She fell asleep almost instantly. And when she did, she had nightmares.

Nightmares of little Neji-Tenten babies.

-----

**Yeah. I was watching Mean Girls while I wrote the last couple of paragraphs, and I couldn't help myself. xD**

**So. Do you **_**liiiiiike **_**it? **

**Please review! :D**


	9. Ino

**Aha! Hello, there, my precious readers.**

**It seems you have stumbled across the ninth chapter. Aren't you glad? (:**

**Well, you must be glad, seeing as you're still reading. So…continue. Please? (:**

-----

Chapter Nine: Ino

Neji knocked on the door to the Uzumaki household and waited. He started pacing, irritated at the fact that Naruto always took forever to answer the door-slash-phone-slash-WHATEVER. When he finally opened it, he looked like he'd just woken up. His golden hair was tousled, and his eyes were still half-closed. Neji laughed at his bedraggled appearance, leaning against the doorframe.

"It's twelve thirty in the afternoon. Did you just wake up or something?" Neji asked, suddenly noticing his friend's choice of clothing; orange and black pyjamas. Naruto scratched the back of his head and yawned.

"Yeah…how'd you guess?" he murmured, holding his other hand over his mouth to restrain his 'morning' breath. Neji shook his head pitifully, still chuckling.

"Never mind that. I need your help." He said with a final smile. Naruto snapped awake, always ready to help out a friend in need. He grabbed Neji's shoulders.

"What? What's wrong? Is it something to do with Tenten? What did you do to her? She's not pregnant, is she?" Naruto babbled, his words becoming more and more jumbled as his voice increased in speed. Neji blushed bright red and fought the urge to slap him across the face. After ten days? No way in hell.

"You really are an idiot." Neji snapped, punching him lightly in the gut. "No, it's nothing like that. Well…it's got something to do with Tenten."

Naruto suddenly remembered his manners and stepped aside. "Here, come in. Can I get you something to drink? Oh, please take your shoes off on the way in."

-----

Tenten sprinted down the hall waving her arms in the air. "I'LL GET IT! I'LL GET IT! NO-ONE ANSWER IT!"

Maids stood aside to let the princess past, who, for the first time in a while was acting like her former self. For about four days now, she'd walked in a formal way _everywhere _around the house, hands either clasped behind her back, or tucked in front of her.

She skidded to a halt as the thin red carpet ended and 'changed' into shiny tiling. Narrowly avoiding flying head first into the door, she put her hands out in front of her and pulled on the door handle. Stood on the front steps was a familiar face.

She had pretty aquamarine eyes, framed with long dark eyelashes and a charcoal grey eyeliner. Her hair was platinum blonde and, even when tied up in a ponytail on top of her head, fell to just below her back. Her skin was pale, even in that warm autumn weather.

"Ugh. Damn, I forgot I invited you here. Come in." Tenten sneered at her friend-slash-rival and pulled the door open further. Yamanaka Ino smiled, flashing her white teeth and shiny pink lipgloss and stepped forward.

"That's not a nice way to treat a guest, Ten-chan." Ino cooed, using her old pet name for Tenten. Said princess rolled her eyes, not even bothering to tell her off.

"Ino. I invited you here to talk, not to be nice to you. Let's just get this over with." Tenten closed the door after her blonde-haired guest and let Ino across the lobby to the stairs. Maids, butlers and security guards stood on either side of the Hollywood-style red carpet, gawking at Ino. She hadn't showed her pretty face in that household for years – at least eight – but they all still remembered her. Even the new staff knew her; they'd heard the stories.

Ino stared around at her surroundings, a familiar pout on her rosebud lips. She tossed her head and laughed at Tenten's back. "Well, this place definitely has more _class _than it used to."

Tenten clenched her fists, mentally telling herself not to turn around and punch her guest. The mere sound of Ino's laugh drove Tenten's Evil Senses wild.

The pair reached Tenten's bedroom, and the princess turned to glare at Ino. "Sit."

"Maybe I don't want to - "

"_Sit_."

Ino sat.

Tenten paced back and forth in front of Ino, breathing in and out heavier than usual. She considered her words before speaking. "Listen, Ino. I need your advice on - "

"Your arranged marriage with Hyuuga Neji. Your father thinks that you need a husband to make you more responsible, and he matched you up with the son of his good friend, Hyuuga Hizashi, cousin to _your _good friend Hyuuga Hinata. He made a bargain with you that, if you didn't become a better princess both physically and mentally, in thirty days, you'd be forced to marry him, if, I believe his exact words were, _if we have to drag you down the aisle by your shoe straps. _If you did, you'd be free to do what you want. Is that correct?" Ino rambled slowly, reclining in her seat. Tenten blinked in disbelief. How could someone so _stupid _know _so much_?

"How…h-how do you know all that stuff?" she stuttered. "Every word you've just said…is a hundred percent accurate."

"Word gets around." Ino shrugged, smirking at her friend. "One of your staff told my father. My father told me. It's not rocket science, _princess_."

Tenten scowled. Ino knew how much she hated to be called princess, and, many years ago, had decided to hang it over her for her own entertainment. Ino found it _hilarious_.

"Okay, so. What exactly do you want my advice on? Wait! Wait! Don't tell me. You don't want to marry Neji, because you want to stay single for when you meet someone you really, really love. But now, you're having second thoughts about him. _But _you don't want to jump straight into the marriage, because you're scared you'd make him unhappy by simply being around him. Is that correct? Oh, who am I kidding, of course it's correct." Ino tossed her head back and let out that irritating, high pitched laugh of hers.

"It's correct." Tenten murmured, wishing she could beat the daughter of the Yamanaka Industries chairperson to a pulp.

"Oh, I _love _being right."

-----

"You…what?" Naruto said quietly. "You _kissed _her?"

"Once. Twice. Maybe three times, but who's counting?" Neji explained, holding up his hands and laughing nervously. Naruto stood up in his seat and punched the air.

"ALRIGHT, NEJI!" he screeched, jumping up and down. "Do you _know _what this means? It means your gonna get married and have little Neji-Tenten babies!"

"You sound like Hinata."

"I don't care, man! I'm so happy for you! For you both!" Naruto hauled Neji to his feet, grabbed both his hands and started 'happy dancing' around the room. Neji stood still in his spot, a somewhat melancholy look on his face. Naruto's hyperactive grin faded slightly.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you happy dancing?" he moaned, stomping one of his slipper-clad feet. Neji forced a wan smile and sighed.

"Well, for a start, I can't take you seriously when your wearing…" Neji read the writing sewn into the left breast of Naruto's pyjamas. "_Foxy Boy _pyjamas. And second…I don't think Tenten's too happy about it. She said the kisses didn't mean anything. And…I think she meant it."

"Dude. She just wants you to think that so that she can't break your heart later." Naruto said, gripping his friend's hands tighter. Neji raised an eyebrow.

"Uzumaki, that's the smartest thing you've said to me since we were ten." He replied slowly, a grin spreading across his mouth. "Thanks. I'll bear that in mind."

"Great! Now let's happy dance!"

"No."

"Aw, you suck!"

-----

"Now, Tenten." Ino whispered, her voice deadly serious. "I'm going to ask you a very serious question. Are you ready to hear it?"

Tenten nodded. "I'm ready."

"Okay." Ino breathed in. "Do you _love _Neji?"

"Shut up." Tenten groaned, swinging her leg in Ino's direction. The blonde squealed and jumped out of the way. Tenten giggled.

"Alright, alright, sorry." Ino snickered, straightening out her expensive blue dress and black leggings. "But really. Do you at least _like _him?"

Tenten sighed, clasping her hands together. "I don't know, I just - "

"Oh my gosh, you're _totally _in denial." Ino screeched, grabbing Tenten's shoulders and looking her in the eye. "You know what this means? You're gonna get married and have little Neji-Tenten babies!"

"Okay, what is so special about 'little Neji-Tenten babies'?" Tenten asked, shaking her head in a confused manner. Ino laughed and patted Tenten on the top of her head.

"Oh, Tenten, Tenten, Tenten. Every royal, child of a big executive, child of a – whatever. If they're a _thing_, you put their names together and add 'babies' to the end of it. Like, you know Nara Shikamaru?"

"No."

"His dad invented Pop Tarts. He and I are gonna have little Shikamaru-Ino babies." Ino said dreamily, her eyes glazing over as she fantasized about Shikamaru-Ino babies.

"Okay. That's really weird." Tenten murmured. "But Neji and I are not a _thing_. We're…two individuals who are being forced into a marriage…and happen to have kissed each other. Over and over and over."

"You _kissed_?" Ino said loudly. "Damn, Ten-chan, you didn't tell me that!"

"I was cleverly avoiding that until now." Tenten spat, turning away. "Thank you for making me bring that up."

"Welcomes!" Ino cried cheerily, throwing her arms in the air.

_I don't think she quite grasps the concept of sarcasm. _Tenten thought to herself. _Stupid blonde Yamanaka diva. _

"Anyway. You've got to come to terms with your feelings before you can actually determine what you want to do. I mean…would you be happy with him?"

"Well, yeah, I guess so. But I don't think he'd be happy with me." Tenten shrugged one shoulder, pouting as she remembered how badly she'd treated him in the past 10 days. Ino leaned forward and raised one perfect eyebrow.

"And why's that?"

Tenten said nothing. She just stared into her lap.

Ino was a bitch. She was a total man-eater. She was spoilt, stupid, and way too pretty for Tenten's liking. But if there was one thing Ino wasn't, that was an idiot. She realised she'd reached a touchy subject, and closed her mouth.

After a few seconds of awkwardness, she rummaged around in her white handbag for something. Tenten looked up at her and squinted.

"What are you doing?" Ino handed her a tube of lipgloss. "Lipgloss? How is that going to solve - "

"It's called Love's First Kiss. It's my most prized item of makeup. Also, my most expensive. Take it." Ino smiled sadly, not really wanting to let it go. "They say, that if you're wearing it when you kiss someone, it determines if you love them or not. That's how I found out I was in love with Shikamaru."

Tenten hesitated, considering her offer. After a moment of silence, she pressed the lipgloss back into Ino's hand. "Sorry, Ino. I appreciate it, but…I don't believe in all that mumbo jumbo voodoo crap. And – not saying that I will – but if I _were _to fall in love with Neji, I'd know it."

"Okay. Yours is truly the iron will in this situation, Ten-chan." Ino said, putting the gloss back into her purse. She checked her watch and stood up. "Anyway. I should get going. I have to attend one of my fathers meetings today to, you know, represent the company or something. I'll see you soon."

"Right. See you soon. It was…um. Nice seeing you again." Tenten murmured into her collarbone, unable to avoid subtly stating the fact that she'd missed Ino, no matter how bitchy she was.

Ino bowed her head as a sign of respect for the princess, and headed for the door. She pulled it open, and hesitated. She turned her head and smiled.

"And Tenten?"

"Mm?"

"Good luck."

With those final words, Ino left the room and started down the hallway.

-----

That night, Tenten sat up at her computer, wiping her tired brown eyes. She opened her internet browser, clicked on the bookmark that read 'Google', and typed in the words, 'Love's First Kiss from Maeda'. She hit enter, and in a matter of seconds, nearly seven million results had flashed up on the screen. Tenten clicked the first link and started to read one of nine hundred reviews of the lipgloss.

She carefully read one review after another. After the tenth one, they become more and more unrealistic. Becoming frustrated, Tenten shut down the computer and hurled her pillow against the wall for the second time in about twenty-four hours. She curled her legs up to her chest and sighed.

_I'm not in love with Neji._

_I'm not in love with Neji._

_I'm not in love with Neji._

_I'm not in love with -_

She contemplated Ino's words. '_Oh my gosh, you're _totally _in denial._'

_Oh my god. I'm in love with Neji._

-----

**Oooh! Cliff-hanger, much?**

**I hope you liked it! And give me your opinion on this one question:**

**Do you think Tenten fell in love too soon? I think she did.**

**Ah well, too late now!**

**Please review! (:**

**Love and hugs,**

**ponyvomit.x**

**-inserthearthere- **


	10. Facade

**Holy woah! I haven't updates in like, 4 days? 5 days? **

**I am so sorry. :(**

**See, I was writing it…then I got distracted and started watching Bleach. Then I was watching it for so long…my laptop crashed, ergo making me lose my work. **

**Oh, and by the way. Reviews simply saying: "update" will be disregarded. **

**I update when I want to, and how I see fit. Believe it or not, I **_**do **_**have a life.**

**So anyway, on a lighter note, I present to you…chapter ten! **

-

Chapter Ten: Façade

"Okay, okay. Calm down Tenten. Maybe if you act like you don't love him, said feeling will go away!" Tenten rambled to herself, pacing up and down the room and making large hand motions. "So, I have to act totally natural around him. Maybe even meaner than before. And _then _- "

There was a loud crash outside in the hall. Tenten groaned and slapped her arms against the sides of her legs. She stomped over to the door, yanked it open, and stuck her head through the small gap she'd made. She glared at the maid that was stood not five metres away from her, trying to sweep up a broken vase.

"Do you mind? I am _trying _to have a teenage crisis here!"

"Sorry, miss. I'll try to be more quiet...next time I drop a vase."

-

Tenten rolled over, moaning and muttering in her sleep. She half-consciously reached out and grabbed Neji's shirt.

Woah. Hold on. _Neji_?

She sat bolt upright, suddenly wide awake. She gawked at Neji, who was sat on the edge of her bed. Tenten started a string of confused words.

"Wha – Neji? What are you doing – on my bed – in the – here – in my house – and you're – you're dressed – and - "

"Good morning to you too. I came over to see you. Is that so wrong?" Neji teased, laughing softly. He suddenly blinked and grinned. "By the way, I can see your bra."

Tenten wrenched her shirt closed, suddenly wishing she had the ability to break down and buy some real pyjamas instead of wearing her father's old painting shirts.

Hey. They were splattered with paint. They looked cool.

"S-shut up!" Tenten squeaked, jumping up onto the mattress and kicking Neji lightly in the chest. "At least get out while I get showered and dressed."

"Actually…I don't mind the whole, _open shirt, visible bra _thing - "

"_Get out_!"

Tenten pushed him out of the door, hands on his muscular chest, and slammed it behind him. She hesitated, then turned her face to the door. "Alright. Count to thirty, then you can come back in."

Neji's heart started racing. _No! No! Must restrain…dirty mind._

Following her orders, Neji counted at his own pace to thirty. He then turned, and twisted the door handle.

His gaze spread across the room. There was no sign of Tenten, or her –

No. Don't say it.

"Scattered clothes…" Neji whispered, so quietly that he could hardly hear it himself. He heard laughter from the door to the ensuite, and sighed. He'd fallen into her little trap.

"Haha, sucker!" Tenten yelled from the bathroom. "Just hang out until I'm done. And no peeking, you little pervert!"

Neji smiled as the sound of running water filled the room. He leaned against the wall beside the ensuite door, listening to Tenten's quiet singing. She wasn't that great, but it was nice to know she was happy.

The singing stopped. Tenten held the shower head in her hand, aiming it at the floor.

"Neji?"

"Yeah?"

"Bring your eyes away from the door. It's eleven in the morning, and I really am _not _in the mood to be raped."

Neji flushed red and looked to his left, closing his eyes tightly. "H-how did you know where I was looking? Not that…I was looking at the door. I was…um…gesundheit?"

"I just did. It seems like something you would do, that's all." Tenten went back to singing, signifying that the conversation was over. Neji couldn't help but smile.

A few minutes later, he was still facing away from the door, his eyes closed and cheeks red. He heard the shower go off, but didn't dare turn around. The door clicked open, and Tenten padded out into her bedroom, holding a towel over her soaking front.

"Neji."

"Are you naked?"

"Well - "

"Just a towel counts as naked."

"Yes."

Neji blushed. "Okay. What is it?"

"Have you been standing there like that all the time I was in the shower?" Tenten asked, a hint of laughter in her tone. Neji nodded. "Why?"

"I don't know…to…protect you?" Neji murmured. "I really don't know."

"You're a sweet boy, Neji." Tenten smiled at him, turned, and went back into the bathroom.

-

"So what are we doing today?"

"I was thinking we could just hang out. Maybe get some lunch together?" Neji asked casually, continuing to walk alongside the princess. The couple were walking around Tenten's garden, slowly strolling through the lush grounds. Tenten winked up at Neji.

"Or a picnic in your maze?" And maybe a little kissing?

"Sure." Kissing would be nice.

-

Tenten threw a grape at Neji, frowning and pouting like a child. "Bastard."

"What?" Neji laughed, picking up the grape and feeding it to her. "So I think that Hinata would make a better mother than you would. Why are you so worked up about it?"

"Because you're doubting me. Therefore, I'm worked up about it." Tenten murmured, nudging Neji with her open toes. "Besides. Hinata might marry and have kids with _Naruto_. Point made."

"Point proven."

Tenten squirmed under the the discomfited silence. She was really tempted to kiss him, but that would just shatter the whole, 'act like an ass, fall out of love' theory. _Ohh, but his lips are right there…_

"Tenten."

"Uh."

"Tenten."

"Uh."

"Tenten!"

"Oh – what?" Tenten snapped back to reality, shaking her head and grinning giddily. "Sorry. I was just thinking of kissing you."

"Damn. How much alcohol did the chef put in this rice?" Neji murmured. Tenten looked at him with an innocent, somewhat shy smile.

"Would you mind if I did?"

_Okay. Alcohol? The best._

"Go ahead."

Tenten pounced, pressing her mouth against his. Neji could _definitely _taste the sake on her lips, and mentally reminded himself to thank the chef later. He wrapped his arms around her pale shoulders, when her dark eyes snapped open. She pulled away abruptly, blushing furiously.

_Ah. I see. So she's sober._

"I'm sorry. That wasn't meant to happen - "

He kissed her again. "Yes it was."

"No, no, it wasn't – I mean – ugh! I don't know. You'd laugh if I told you. That, or molest me or something…"

"I'm not going to laugh at you. Just tell me; you can trust me." Neji prompted her, leaning forward and looking at her with serious silver eyes. Tenten gulped.

"Well…I think…I mean, I'm not sure…but I think I - " she hesitated. "Have had too much to drink."

Neji laughed and rolled his eyes. "Really? Is that all? Because, I think that too. You had me worried there. I thought you were going to say you loved me or something!"

_Ah, hell. He's on to me._

"Don't be silly!" Tenten giggled, poking his arm. "Like that would ever happen."

_Pretend, pretend, pretend._

-

"Oh my god, Ino, you suck."

"Oh, shut up. All I asked her was if she loved him." Ino replied. "Besides, it's not like you haven't said anything of the sorts, _Hinata_."

"N-no, I haven't!" Hinata lied through her teeth, squirming in her seat. "Anyway. This is not about me, it's about you. How could you be so insensitive? You know Tenten's under a lot of pressure with this whole marriage situation."

"No, actually, I don't." Ino sighed. "I mean, I wouldn't mind it. That Neji guy is _fine _- "

"Ino!"

"Okay, okay. Sorry. But, you know, if I were in her shoes, I'd get married to him in a flash!"

"But you're not in her shoes, because you're size five, and she's size four and _her shoes wouldn't fit_."

Ino tilted her head to the side, clamping the phone between her cheek and her shoulder. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean – you wouldn't – Neji – shoes – UGH!"

Hinata hung up.

-

Crickets chirped.

Tenten was asleep on the picnic blanket, and Neji was holding her as she slept. He couldn't believe they'd been out there near enough all day.

"Tenten." He whispered into her ear. Tenten rolled over, still half asleep, and opened one eye.

"Hey…Tenten is…my name." she giggled and poked his nose. "Not…yours."

"I know." He grinned, trying not to laugh at her and her sleep talk. "I just want to tell you something."

"Speak to me." Tenten muttered, wriggling into the space under Neji's arm and closing her eyes again. Within seconds, she was sound asleep again.

Neji sighed. "Sweet dreams."

-

_Dear Tenten,_

_I understand that we've only known each other for a short period of time, and this may sound a little weird to you, but I_

Without finishing the sentence, Neji screwed up his paper and threw it over his shoulder. He banged his forehead against the desk and clutched his head.

"Get it together, Hyuuga. She's your cousins best friend. You can't fall for her. Not yet. Not until you know exactly how she feels about you." he muttered to himself, keeping his voice low. "No. You don't love her. You just want to make her happy."

_Shut up. _His conscience hissed in his ear. _You love her, and there is no denying it, Hyuuga. Admit it._

_Alright, alright. So what if I love her? She doesn't love me back. _

_She never will_.

-

Tenten glared up at the ceiling and sighed. Again.

_Eighteen days. That's how long I have left to decide whether I'm going to tell him or not._

_If I tell him, and become a better princess, then chances are I'll end up marrying him. Then I'll be happy. _

_If I don't tell him, and become a better princess, then it'll be awkward._

_If I tell him, and don't become a better princess, then I'll have to marry him, and I'll be very happy._

_And if I don't tell him, and don't become a better princess, it'll be even more awkward._

Tenten ran over the list in her mind. She buried her face in her pillow and yelled. "I hate you, Hyuuga!"

-

**Ugh. Shortest chapter yet. For this fic, I was aiming for two thousand+ words per chapter.**

**This chapter – not including A/Ns – came to a mere total of 1,659 words. Boo.**

**Ah, well. Who cares? I just wanted to get **_**something **_**up for you.**

**Ahem. Review? Please? **


	11. Truth

**Hola, bitches!**

**How goes it? It goes good for me too, thanks for asking.**

**Well, here's chapter eleven of Wedding Arrangements! Wow. I really didn't think I'd write more than five chapters. **

**So please, enjoy. This should make up for the previous chapter (1,659 words. Cry). If it doesn't…well. Sucks for you.**

-

Chapter Eleven: Truth

Tenten shook her head, rebelliously long bangs tumbling around her face. "_No_."

The emperor sighed irritably. The scenario was much like that of the other week; Tenten reclining on the couch reading some fashion magazine, dressed in sweat pants and hoodie, and her father stood by rubbing the space between his eyebrows.

"I'm not holding my _own_ party. No matter how many brownie points I get for it. Unless it's my sort of party, you know, strobe lights. Alcohol. Raving." Tenten grinned cheekily at her dad, but the grin faded when she saw what the emperor was thinking. "No, okay."

"The sort of party I'm talking about is candle-lit. Champagne flukes. Ballroom dancing."

"Vomit." Tenten looked up at her father, a doubtful look on her face. "So what if I were to go with having this party – not saying that I will – but if I did…what would the guests, rules, dress code, and all that jazz be?"

"Well. Only the most high-up people would be invited. That means Hyuuga Neji and Hinata, Yamanaka Ino – don't give me that look – Uzumaki Naruto, and then some. There would be no major alcohol, only wine and punch. Possibly some champagne. And as for the dress code; an elegant dress for the ladies, and a tuxedo for the men." Tenten's father explained, pacing up and down in Tenten's line of vision.

"Yeah, well, that all sounds great and everything, dad, but - " she hesitated. _Better princess_. "Do real princesses even throw parties like that?"

"All the time. Except…" the emperor removed his glasses and started polishing the rims with his white silk handkerchief. "You wouldn't know. Would you, Tenten?"

Tenten scowled. She couldn't say no when he pulled the glasses-cleaning move. It made him look kind of menacing. "Alright, I'll throw the stupid party."

"Good. And I want Neji to help you plan it."

"Fi – _what_?"

-

Neji sat down opposite Tenten, smiling evilly. "Well, well, well. Little miss princess is throwing a party."

"Shut up." Tenten murmured through gritted teeth. "Let's just get this over and done with, okay?"

"Alright. So. What sort of theme were you aiming for?"

"Zombie prom."

No reply.

"Okay." Neji said slowly. "Let me rephrase that. What sort of theme was your _dad _aiming for?"

Tenten sighed, folding her tanned arms over her chest. She looked away, taking a sudden interest in the pattern of the wallpaper. "A ballroom fantasy. Ball gowns. Classical music. Shimmery gold crap that you see in movies."

"Sounds good. I'd like to see you in a ball gown." Neji teased, rummaging in his pocket for a pen. "Do you have paper?"

"Of course, cuz I always carry a notebook on me." She rolled her eyes. "No, I don't have paper."

"Do you know where I could get some paper?" Neji asked, grinning at her sarcastic façade. Tenten jabbed a finger in the direction of a set of drawers, that were there mostly for decoration, rather than holding things.

"Middle drawer. Top row. There's a tonne of paper in there." She murmured. As Neji stood and turned his back to her, she smirked to herself.

_Maybe I'm getting good at this whole _pretending _thing_.

Before she knew it, Neji was back. He lay out a couple of sheets across the table and scribbled something on the top of the sheet to Tenten's immediate left. The princess leaned closer to get a look at what it said. She was no genius when it came to reading upside-down, but she was pretty sure it said something like, _'Guest List'_.

"Now, we have to come up with a guest list. People that your father would approve of, but nobody too up their own asses." Neji elucidated, rolling the pen between his forefinger and his thumb. "Make sense?"

"I'm not an idiot, Neji, I could figure that out by myself." She picked up on his expression and laughed softly, mentally mocking his innocence. "Makes sense."

"Good. So who's top on your list?" Neji asked, a twang of hope in his voice. Tenten looked up at him with wide, sparkling eyes.

"You."

-

**Guest List**

_By Hyuuga Neji _

_&_

_Princess Tenten. Surname: undisclosed._

-

**Hyuuga Neji**

**Hyuuga Hinata**

**Yamanaka Ino **_(ugh, really? _**Yes, really. Now quit whining.**)

**Nara Shikamaru**

**Uzumaki Naruto**

**Haruno Sakura **(_which brings me back to, really?_)

**Inuzuka Kiba**

**Inuzuka Hana**

**Uchiha Sasuke**

**Uchi**

_Shut up Neji. _

_& others. _

_There. Now they've all been invited. _

-

Tenten recapped the pen with a triumphant smirk on her lips. Neji prodded her from the other side of the table. "Why'd you have to snatch the pen? I didn't even finish writing Uchiha Itachi."

"Ah, we don't need that bastard at my party." Tenten said, stretching in her seat. "We should start writing invitations."

"Do _I _get complete control over that pen?"

"…Yes."

"Excellent."

-

**You have been**

**invited to **

**Princess Tenten's party.**

**It will be held on**

-

Neji turned to his friend-slash-accomplice. "When will it be held on?"

Tenten shrugged. "I don't know. Make up a date."

-

**You have been**

**invited to**

**Princess Tenten's party.**

**It will be held on **

**October 4****th****, at 8:30pm,**

**at the royal palace.**

**I hope that you **

**will be**

**able to make it!**

**Love, **

-

"Sign your name." Neji said sharply, offering the pen to the princess. Tenten looked at the pen with a sly smile, and then up at Neji.

"I thought you had complete control over the pen?" she asked, shrugging one bare shoulder.

"Okay, okay, I disclaim control over the pen." Neji babbled, instantly figuring out how Tenten's mind worked. "Take it, and sign. Your. Name."

Tenten giggled girlishly, took the pen from his fingers and pressed the nib to the paper.

-

**Love,**

_Princess Tenten_

_x_

-

Neji gave a shy smile as he watched her sign her name, a look of complete concentration pressed onto her face. It was cute, really, how she put so much effort into simple tasks like writing her name.

"There! Now help me right the rest." Tenten cried enthusiastically, slamming the pen down onto the paper and grinning from ear to ear. "We've got a lot of invitations to write."

"Or, you know, we could just photocopy this one."

"I like the way you think, Hyuuga."

"But first," Neji tugged on her hand as she pulled herself upright, ready to go to the photocopier. "We need to plan everything else. Food. Seating arrangements. Decorations."

Tenten moaned and stomped one of her slipper-clad feet against the tile flooring as she slumped back in her seat. "Ohh, why?"

"Because I said on that invite that the party was on October fourth." Neji nodded slowly, trying to get the point across to her. Tenten frowned.

"So? October fourth is ages - "

"Today is September thirtieth."

"…Shit."

-

"We did good, Hyuuga. I say we make a pretty good team."

Tenten beamed as she admired the pile of various lists and diagrams that she and Neji had put together. They'd worked all day, and said work had been a huge success. Neji hesitated, staring at his feet, before he looked at the side of her head and spoke.

"Tenten - "

"I want you to dance with me at the party."

Neji paused. _That was…unexpected._

"Um. Okay. I suppose I could - "

"Oh, sorry. What were you going to say?" Tenten asked innocently, looking back at him and pulling a few strands of hair behind her ear. "I really should learn to stop cutting people off like that."

"I was just going to ask…no. It doesn't matter." Neji shook his head and looked down again. Tenten turned so that her body was facing him, and punched him in the arm.

"No! Tell me! Let's just say I'm in the mood for telling the truth." Tenten joked, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"Okay. Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, just say it!" Tenten laughed.

"What happened to your mom?"

Tenten's grin faded. Neji slapped his forehead.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I should never have bought it up. Stupid - " Tenten grabbed his wrist. Neji looked at her through his fingers; she was smiling.

"You want to know? I'll tell you. But first, let me take you somewhere." She said softly. She tugged on his wrist, coaxing him towards the door. Neji was vacillate for a moment, but with a little coaching and reassurance that everything was okay, Tenten was able to lead him along the hall, up a set of winding stone steps and onto the roof. Neji breathed in sharply in the cold September air, but Tenten knew that the main reason he gasped was because of the sky. It was a tie-dye mix of pink, purple, orange and yellow, the sun at just the right peak to create the perfect image.

Tenten sat down on the concrete and patted the spot next to her, gesturing for Neji to sit down too. He frowned.

"Tenten, what does watching the sun set have to do with your mom - "

"When I was a little girl, I used to think that – rather than becoming a star – my mom turned into the sun. Her personality was bubbly and nice. _Sunny_. That's where it came from." Tenten explained. Neji sat beside her. "Obviously, I don't think that any more. I know that…that mom is gone, and the sun is a big ball of flaming gas that burns millions of miles away. But I still like to think that she's still there. Visible at all times. In the day, in the form of the sun. And at night…in my dreams."

Neji stared at her in awe, shocked that such a rebellious, mean girl could spin such a deep speech. He said nothing. Tenten, on the other hand, pulled at the neckline of her top and pulled out a gold locket, previously hidden by her clothes. She removed it from around her neck and opened it gently with her thumbnail. Neji looked on as she handed it to him and pointed at the picture in the left hand frame.

"That's my mom. She's pretty, isn't she?" Tenten asked, grinning up at Neji. "My dad says I have her eyes, but I don't really see the resemblance."

"She's certainly beautiful." Neji whispered. He tilted his head to face Tenten. "So…what exactly happened to her?"

"February eighth, nineteen-ninety-seven." Tenten quoted from a newspaper article. "The wife of Emperor Hachiro, Bunko, was shot dead this morning at eight fifteen outside her family's palace."

"Oh, Tenten, that's awful." Neji comforted her. At least, he thought he was comforting her. She didn't seem that sad. Tears weren't forming in her eyes.

"Thank you. Thank you for listening." She whispered. "And thank you for asking. I thought it would be pretty awkward if I just told you out of the blue."

"You're welcome. And if you ever need to talk, or…" Neji's voice trailed off into nothingness as Tenten screeched with delight. She jumped up and pointed to the sky.

"Look! Look! A UFO! Make a wish, Neji, make a freakin' wish!"

"Tenten, I don't think you make wishes on UFOs. And, I hate to burst your bubble, but that's an airplane."

"Shut up and make a wish!"

Neji smiled. _I wish we could stay like this forever. Just the two of us. In our own little bubble._

-

"Alright, Hyuuga, listen up! We have just three days to do the following. Distribute invitations, make-and-or-buy in food, organise music, get decorations and furniture, and make the main hall look amazing ready for the best freakin' ball I've ever seen!"

"If I'm not mistaken, won't this be the _only _ball you've ever seen?"

"Alright, let's rock this bitch!"

"Good to know I'm heard."

-

**Aha, so you finally found out emperor-sama's name. Lucky, lucky people.**

**Okay, so this chapter isn't **_**quite **_**2000 words. Whatever. It's a chapter, right?**

**So. Like? Don't like? Review? Yes. **


	12. Party

**Omg, guys, I suck so much ass.**

**I am SO sorry I haven't updated in a while.**

**You know in the A/N of chapter six, I said I was sick, but then I got better? Well, guess what? I didn't get better. I've spent the last couple of days in bed with a temperature of nine billion (okay. tell a lie. a hundred and three.) degrees, and I haven't eaten anything in about three days due to my violent throwing up of anything I digested in the previous week. But I'm feeling okay now, still bed-ridden, but okay, so I thought I should update.**

**Enjoy, my loyal readers! **

**(Oh come on. You've got to be loyal to have read all of this.)**

**-**

Chapter Twelve: Party

Tenten jolted awake as a silky pink something landed on her face.

"Uh? Uh? Oh - " she looked around, clawing the something off her head. The something was a dress. Rose pink, bouncy and layered, this thing was the equivalent of death. Tenten glanced upward, her brown orbs ready to meet angry silver ones. Hinata cleared her throat, folding her pale arms over her flat chest and tapping her foot.

"I…fell asleep." Tenten drawled, slapping her hands over her face and groaning. "I'm sorry!"

"Tenten. Get up. Your party is in nine and a half hours, and you haven't even picked out a dress." Hinata snapped, snatching the pink dress from Tenten's hands and gripping it in her own. "I don't know how you could've fell asleep with all this racket."

Tenten's dark eyes widened, forming two perfect, penny-sized circles. She looked around her, her cheeks turning a soft shade of red. Drills hummed, hammers clanged, and pissed-off decorators yelled at each other. Tenten had completely forgotten that the decorations were going up today.

She stood up from the elegant gold dining chair she'd been sleeping in, allowing one of the decorators to take it and add it to a circle of identical chairs that had been formed around a heavily adorned table. The muscular worked nodded once at her, and she nodded back, smiling daintily. Tenten turned back to Hinata, reeling back at her friend's expression.

"Okay, okay, so I fell asleep in amongst all this noise, or whatever I did." Tenten murmured, making small hand gestures. "What's so bad about that?"

"What's so bad? Tenten, shouldn't all this noise _excite you_?" Hinata asked, gripping Tenten's skinny shoulders and grinning all over her cherry red mouth. "You should hear the sound of decorations being put up and want to get involved, not fall asleep!"

Slight pause. "Yes. Yes, I should. And I'm sor – ooh, cake!"

Tenten wriggled free of Hinata's grasp and trailed excitedly towards her father, who was entering the main hall and carting a five tier cake in front of him. The whole cake was coated with a layer of smooth, snow white icing and adorned with adorable red roses made out of icing.

"Dad, this cake is amazing! Who made it?" Tenten squealed like a little girl, dodging around the shiny silver cart to admire the cake from every angle. "Can I lick the icing? Is there any batter left over for me to eat?"

"Calm down, Tenten! No, you can't lick the icing, and no, there isn't any batter." Hachiro laughed nervously, shaking his head at his daughter and silently mocking her. "But it's good to know you're so happy about this party."

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Tenten muttered, trying to hide the fact that she couldn't wait for this party. "Who made it?"

The emperor pulled the cart to a standstill beside the empty buffet table and gestured for the caterers to be careful while placing the cake. He turned to his daughter, a small smile on his face. "Why, Hiro, of course."

Tenten blinked twice. Her face slowly lit up. "H-Hiro's back? Where is he, let me see him!"

The princess dodged forward, only to have her father's hand push her gently backwards in the chest.

"I never said he was back. I fired him, and I never give ex-employees their jobs back." Hachiro explained, staring his daughter down with solemn hazel eyes. "But…I know how special you want this party to be, and Hiro always was one of our best chefs - "

"The new chef smells like grass."

"But I phoned him up and - "

"You know I don't like the smell of grass."

"Got him to - "

"Grass sucks. Down with grass."

"Make your cake!" Hachiro spat his final words out in a rush, not wanting his daughter to interrupt again. Tenten pouted and folded her arms across her jacket-clad stomach.

"Fine. I'm going to go…help Hinata." Tenten murmured, whipping around and dragging her feet across the freshly-waxed floor. "See you later."

A few minutes later, she found Hinata, yelling at one of the decorators about how he'd arranged the flowers on table six.

"And the next time you - " Hinata stopped ranting as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Oh, Tenten. What's up?"

Tenten grinned. "Let's go find me a dress."

-

"I feel like an idiot!"

"Just come out of the changing room."

"No-_oooo_!" Tenten continued to whine, poking her head around the crimson curtain. "I look like a fairy princess with brain damage, or something."

"And, fairy princess with brain damage, you are!" Hinata replied with a laugh, lunging forward and grabbing the edge of the curtain. "Come on, Tenten, it can't be that…bad…"

Hinata held in her laugh as Tenten let go of the curtain and stepped back into the small cubicle with a frown on her face. _She _does _look like a fairy princess with brain damage._

Tenten was dressed head to toe in a peachy-orange color. Her dress had long sleeves, and the skirt fell to just above her ankles, much like a Victorian school skirt. The upper half of the death-dress was a shade lighter than that of the lower half, and the whole thing sparkled like it'd gotten lost in a glitter factory.

The shoes were the same morbid shade of peach, and strappy, and the heels were on that ugly line between high and low, and Tenten _hated _them because her feet were hurting. Deep breath.

To top off the look, Tenten's hair looked like crap.

"Wow…Tenten…you look…" Hinata gave up on her feeble attempt to be nice, slapping her hands against her thighs. "Go change."

-

_**Tenten's Dress Combos: FAILED**_

_**A list by Hyuuga Hinata.**_

-

_**Short, yellow, frilly dress – white shoes – silver tiara.**_

_**Long, pink, silk dress – pink shoes.**_

_**Cream dress – black shoes – hair ribbon. Haha.**_

_**Light blue dress – white**_

_**Hmm…**_

-

Tenten turned and looked at the alarm clock. It read 8:49.

"Excellent." She murmured to herself. "Fashionably late. Oh yeah."

She admired herself in the mirror one last time before flouncing out of her bedroom and down the hall. Her trademark buns had been banished for the evening, and replaced by professionally-curled loose hair that bounced around her shoulders. Her make-up matched her hair. Natural, plain, yet elegant. Sophisticated. She wore nothing on her face but a layer of mascara, some light powder, and a brush of apple flavored lipgloss.

Tenten twirled, her head buzzing with the excitement of holding her own party. She staggered in her white high heels, but she didn't care. She just continued to waltz her way along the hall to the room the party was in. She continued to laugh like a maniac to herself.

Her father was stood outside the door to the main hall, pacing and glancing at his watch. When he caught sight of the giddy princess, he grabbed hold of her wrist. "You're late."

"I know. It's my party! _I _decide when I arrive." Tenten giggled. She mentally slapped herself in the face and blinked a couple of times. "Sorry. The water wouldn't start when I wanted my shower."

"I see. You look lovely, though, I must say." Hachiro smiled meekly at Tenten. "Now. It's time for your grand entrance. Wait here, and when you hear the trumpets - "

"Come through the big doors, right?" Tenten guessed, grinning at her vast knowledge of royal parties. Okay. Her vast knowledge of The Princess Diaries. The emperor nodded, patted her on the cheek and smiled, tears dancing behind his eyes.

"I'm so proud of you, Tenten." He whispered. "Seventeen days. _Seventeen days._ That's how long it's taken you to get this far. I can tell that by the time the thirty days are up, you'll be a great princess."

"Thank you, dad." Tenten muttered, her gaze not quite meeting his. _Don't get your hopes up._

Hachiro disappeared through the doors. They swung shut, and Tenten listened hard to what her dad was saying through the heavy wood. She squinted, trying to make out his words, but she couldn't hear for love nor money.

She was concentrating so hard, the trumpets caught her off guard.

Scrambling to regain her posture, Tenten got into position and pushed open the doors. She stepped out onto the balcony of the hall, taking a deep breath. Her dark eyes scanned the room below. It was full of people, some that she knew, some that she didn't. Either way, they were _all _looking at her.

Tenten could point out most people on her guest list with ease. There was Yamanaka Ino, stood at the back of the crowd with a kind smile on her face. She looked amazing. Her platinum hair was hanging loose, and she wore a cute purple dress that fell to her knees. Ino looked up at Tenten and winked.

Then there was Haruno Sakura, who was stood beside Ino. Her rose colored hair was pulled up into an elegant bun at the back of her head, and she was dressed in an outfit almost identical to Ino's, only in pink. Tenten had to admit, she looked pretty good. You know, for a Haruno.

Standing on the sidelines was Uchiha Sasuke, decked out in a charcoal jacket and pants. Beside him was Uzumaki Naruto, an idiotic grin on his face, and beside _him_, was…

_Oh god._

_Did my heart just stop?_

-

"Tenten!"

Tenten felt her shoulders tense. She knew that voice. Slowly, in a sort of robotic manner, she turned her head to flash a false smile at Neji. The one thing that she hoped for at that very moment, was that her cheeks weren't as red as they were hot.

"Hi…N-Neji." She stuttered, looking up at him from under her lashes. "You look great."

"As do you." Neji winked. "I love your hair."

"Thank you." Tenten grinned back at him, twirling a few strands of her chocolate curls around her finger. "So what's up? I haven't seen you in a couple of days."

"Eh, not much, I just…" Neji looked away, slightly distracted from what he was saying. "Can I show you something?"

Tenten blinked, furrowing her brow. "Uh, sure, I guess - "

"Great!" Neji snatched her hand and dragged her through the crowds to the door.

-

"Oh. Wow."

The two were stood in Tenten's garden, only…it's wasn't Tenten's garden. Every bush and tree was decked out in fairy lights. Even the fountain was wrapped in special water-proof lights. The whole area sparkled. Tenten turned to Neji, and smiled.

"How did – when did - "

"I paid your dad to pay the decorators. You know, to make this place look this way." Neji interrupted, dragging the girl to the center of the garden. He lead her onto the stone porch, and bowed in front of her, holding out a hand.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, in a very low, very fake British accent. Tenten giggled, and took his hand lightly in hers.

"Of course you may." Neji pulled himself up to his full height, grey eyes dancing. He placed his free hand on her waist, and she put hers on his muscular shoulder. He blushed slightly at the contact. They started swaying side to side; the only sound was that of crickets chirping.

"Let's play twenty questions!" Tenten declared, her eyes bright. Neji laughed and tilted his head to the side.

"Okay, that was really random…"

"First question." Tenten interrupted. She hesitated. "I can't think of one. You first."

"Okay, then." Neji grinned at her innocence. "Tenten."

"Is that the question?"

"Are you in love with me?"

Tenten froze. She gulped and looked him square in the eye. "I'll get back to you on that one. And are you…in love with me?"

Neji stopped dancing, slowly pulling his hands away. "I am."

-

**Aw. Fluff. **

**You say you hate it, but you **_**so **_**love it.**

**Oh! And a message to ShikaTem Sand-Leaf: Not too much cussing? :3**

**PLEASE REVIEW! **


	13. Gate Crasher

**Ahoy thar! Captain Selena be here with the new chapter of WA.**

**This chapter is dedicated to…**

**Um. TO YOU ALL! To all my beautiful reviewers. To my lovely readers. Even to my shmexy haters (if I have any).**

-

Chapter Thirteen: Gate Crasher

The moment was ruined by a crash from inside.

Tenten pulled her hands away from Neji's and jerked her head in the direction of the palace. Her eyes went huge and sparkly, worried for what might be happening in there.

"Stay here." Neji murmured. He then muttered something else that Tenten couldn't hear. He ran down the path and away from Tenten. She stood, dumbfounded and trying to figure out what he'd said. After a few minutes of standing alone in the cold, she gave an exasperated scream and kicked her shoes into a rose bush, storming after Neji.

"Neji, what's happen - " she froze as she got to the door. There was an intruder.

"Oh, Tenten, how nice of you to show your face here." The man purred, swaggering over to the buffet table and helping himself to a slice of cake. "I realise I wasn't invited to this here party."

Tenten couldn't move, couldn't speak. She stood like a rabbit caught in the headlights, fist pressed against her mouth.

"I-Ita…" she whispered, the hints of desperation and fear in her voice not quite going un-noticed by Neji. He turned to Tenten and placed a comforting hand between her shoulder blades.

"Tenten? Are you okay? You're all white." He asked her, gazing at her with concerned pearl eyes. "What's wrong?"

Tenten forced herself out of Neji's touch and turned to yell at him. "You weren't serious about inviting him, were you?"

"I didn't invite him. I forgot."

"Then why the hell is he here?"

"He's a gate crasher." Neji said quietly. "What's getting you so upset? We know the guy, so why can't he stay?"

"You mean no-one ever told you?" Tenten hissed, jabbing Neji in the chest with her index finger. "No-one told you what I went through because of him?"

She whirled around to point at Itachi. Then, not moving her body, just her head, Tenten looked Neji in the eye. "God, Neji, you're so _freakin' _stupid!"

And with those final words, she ran out of the room.

-

Sat alone on the edge of the fountain, face stained red from crying and cheeks wet was all that Tenten wanted to be at that very moment.

She crumpled her tissue in her hands, imagining it to be Itachi's head. "Itachi…bastard. How could he show up…after everything?"

Footsteps interrupted Tenten's angry words. She turned, and sighed irritably. Tucking a strand of curly brown hair behind her ear, she said, "What do you want, Neji?"

Said Hyuuga smiled wanly at the red-faced girl and sat down beside her. "Itachi's been taken away. He said that he just wanted to talk to you, but…"

"Sorry for yelling at you." Tenten blushed and bit her lower lip. "It's not your fault. You didn't know."

"Didn't know what?"

Tenten hesitated, rolling the tissue between her palms at a steady rate. She took a gulp and a breath, then started speaking.

"When I was about fourteen…" she started. Gulp. "When I was about fourteen, Itachi and I went out. Like, we were together."

"Really?" Neji did some math in his head. If Tenten was fourteen, that would've made Itachi seventeen. Was that right? "Well, what happened?"

"He liked to order me around. Tell me what to do, what not to do. Who to hand around with, who to talk to, how to dress," Tenten's words came out faster, almost as if she was scared someone would try to stop her from speaking. "And eventually, I got sick of it, so, so, _sick of it_ that I…I…"

Her voice trailed off into silence as her eyes filled with sparkly tears and her grip tightened around the tissue. Neji leant forward, silently prompting her.

"I slapped him. And he hit back. Harder." A tear trailed down her cheek, and she batted it away with one hand. "So I had him arrested. And from that day on…well, I became who I am. I don't take crap from anyone any more, and that includes Itachi-bastard."

Neji stared in awe. His Tenten had been abused. That was both astounding and upsetting for Neji.

"And I told him…I never wanted to see him again. Ever. And now he's here, in _my_ house, at _my_ party…"

Neji put an arm around a now crying Tenten and let her sob into the side of his shirt. He rocked her back and forth, whispering into her hair.

"Shh, shh, it's okay." he spoke softly to her, stroking the back of her head. "He's gone now. I'll protect you from him."

Tenten said nothing, but continued to bawl harder. But not because she was hurting. Because he'd said he loved her, and she could never say it back.

-

**Ugh, this is a fucking drabble, rather than a chapter, but I don't know what to write! Re-write soon.  
I'm sorry to those who were expecting a beautiful long epic break-in scene revolving around Ita-kun. I'm really sorry. OnO**


	14. Safe

**I apologise for my PHAILAGE last chapter.**

**This shall be fluff-full to compensate.**

**If you don't like fluff (you know you do)…well. Read this anyway. ;D**

**BTW;;**

**I will be willing to answer ANY question you have about WA. Nothing like, "will they get married?" or "when are you next updating?" but things that you don't understand. I had a great example in my reviews this week (can't remember who wrote me, I'm sorry!) that had a tonne of questions in it where I hadn't described it properly. So get asking, people!**

-

Chapter Fourteen: Safe

Neji smiled softly as he tucked the sheets around Tenten's sleeping body. She'd passed out in his arms from exhaustion and stress; being such a gentleman, Neji had carried her to her room and put her to bed.

He stared down at her heart-shaped face and sighed. He still couldn't believe what she'd been through with Itachi. Rolling his fists into balls, he thought to himself.

_I'm not going to take this sitting down._

He stood up and headed for the door. When he'd gone, Tenten's eyes snapped open.

"Shit. Neji, wait up. Don't do anything stupid." She muttered quietly, hopping out of bed and padding down the hall after him.

-

Itachi smiled slyly as he twirled the stem of a rose in between his fingers. From the doorway, Neji glared at him.

"I had a feeling you'd still be here," Neji's cold voice sliced through the silence as he stepped from the shadows into the hazy light of the fairy lights. "Somehow. What do you want with Tenten?"

Itachi's ears twitched, obviously stunned by the presence of another. His look of shock melted back into that same sly smile as he let the rose slip from his grasp.

"To fix things between us." He purred, the words rolling off his tongue like he was reading from a script. "I didn't _mean _to hurt Tenten, I just - "

"Then why did you?"

This question caught Itachi off guard. He snarled, and stepped closer to Neji. The two unconsciously started circling around each other like a pair of lions preparing for a fight. Neji tossed his nose in the air, not taking his icy glare off of the raven-haired Uchiha.

"Well?" he asked, trying his best to intimidate the elder of the two. "Did you not hear me correctly? _Why – did you hurt – Tenten?_"

"To make myself seem powerful." Itachi snapped, jerking his head. "I knew that Tenten would be capable of pushing _me _around, so I took the upper-hand before she could. Okay? Is that so wrong?"

"Yes, that _is_ so wrong." Neji murmured through gritted teeth. "If you didn't treat her like shit, then she wouldn't _have_ to take the upper-hand."

Itachi smirked, therefore crossing the metaphorical chalk line.

Neji lunged forward, fist extended, but Itachi was too quick for the younger. He dodged the punch with such speed, and launched his own fist at Neji's mouth. The brunette was flung backwards, lip bleeding. He was about to get up and fight back, but he didn't have the chance. A piercing scream echoed through the gardens.

"_NEJI! _Itachi, you _BASTARD_, what did you _DO TO HIM?_" Tenten shouted, her voice half an octave higher than usual. She ran to Neji's aid, gently touching his shoulders. Neji smiled up at her.

"I'm okay, Tenten. Just go back to bed…"

"No! No, I won't!" she yelled, standing up again and spinning to face Itachi. "You hurt me, you crash my party, and now you punch my…" she strained her voice as she tried to describe Neji without using the word 'boyfriend'. "My good friend in the face. And you expect me to come crawling back to you? After all that?"

"No." Itachi whispered. He came closer and stroked Tenten's cheek lovingly. "I expect you to give me another chance. What do you say, my princess?"

Tenten clenched her jaw, looking away. After a minute, she looked Itachi in the eye and batted his hand away. "I say, 'go to hell'."

She stormed back to Neji's side. "And only _he _calls me, 'my princess'."

Neji blinked. _I do?_

"I see. Well then. If that's how you really feel - "

"I do."

"Then that leaves me no choice. I'll leave." Itachi murmured, turning his head to the ground. Tenten gave a triumphant smile.

"Before you go," she said sharply. "Let me say this. When I say I never want to see you again, I mean, _never_. And if you touch my Neji ever again…"

She tilted her head upwards to look at him. "I'll kill you."

Neji blushed bright red. _My Neji? Is this girl on _drugs _or something?_

"Okay, okay, I get it. Never. Again." Itachi said, backing away with his hands raised. Tenten stalked closer to him; every step he took back, she took one forward.

"Go on." Tenten flapped her hand, signalling for him to run. He turned and marched away, head bowed.

When he was gone, Tenten whipped around and ran back to Neji. She dropped to her knees beside him and grasped his hand.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry about that." Tenten whispered, putting her hand on his head and gently running her slim fingers through his hair. "Please don't be mad."

"Mad? Are _you _mad? Why would I be angry at you…my princess?"

Tenten turned pink. "I don't know…I just…it's kind of my fault for slapping him all that time ago."

"Don't worry. I'm okay."

She tutted and rolled her dark chocolate orbs. "No you're not, look, you're lip's bleeding!"

"I'm _fine_, Tenten, really." Neji rolled his mouth twice before sitting up. Tenten placed a supportive hand on his back and stared at him with sorry, apologetic eyes. "Just a little banged up, you know? Here, let's go find your shoes."

He pulled himself to his feet, leaving the girl stooped on the floor, knees dusted with scratchy grey gravel. After realising that she was still on the ground, Neji turned and grinned at her, wiping his lip free of blood with his sleeve. "You coming?"

Tenten's lip quivered, but she refused to cry. She nodded and sprinted to catch up with him, latching onto his arm. Neji stopped walking for a moment, and Tenten frowned.

"Is something - " she was cut off by Neji's lips pressing against hers in a sweet kiss. She felt her eyes widen, then close as she leaned into the kiss. When she pulled away, red, she grinned at him. "What was that for?"

"Thank you for caring, Tenten." Neji said softly. "I don't think anyone has ever fought for me. No-one's ever…looked at me with such compassion as you have. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Neji bowed his head as low as he could, silver tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Tenten stared at his hair, stunned. Then, she laughed, and hugged him loosely.

"You're welcome." She breathed, tucking his head under her neck, followed by a pause. "You're welcome, you're welcome, you're welcome."

Behind his hair, Neji smiled.

-

"Good morning, princess!"

Tenten groaned and rolled over, waving her hand blindly at the pair of bright-eyed maids and forcing a sleepy smile. "Morn…in…uh…"

"Did you sleep well?" the maid on the left asked, cocking her head. Tenten nodded.

"Was your party fun?" the other asked, also cocking her head. Tenten hesitated, then nodded.

"Miss Hyuuga is waiting for you downstairs in the lobby. Would you like us to send her up?" Tenten snuggled down further into the satin sheets.

"Yes please…" she sighed, smiling to herself. _Today's going to be a good day_.

-

_Today is a bad day._

"Foreign languages?" Tenten spat, running a brush through her messy brown curls. "Are you kidding?"

"No, I'm not." Hinata teased. "All good royals can speak at least three languages, not including their own."

"How can I become fluent in three languages in a day?"

"You can't become fluent in a day. So I'm going to teach you the basics of Italian, French, and Spanish. Then we can build up from that."

_This, _Tenten slumped her shoulders. _Is going to be a _really _bad day._

-

Italian 101 with Hyuuga Hinata.

"Ciao."

"Chow."

"No, you say it _ciao_."

"I said it like that! CHOW!"

"No!" Hinata yelled back, exasperated. "C-i-a-o, ciao. Not c-h-o-w."

"Why didn't you say so?" Tenten asked, rolling her dark orbs to the ceiling. "Ciao."

"I – I did – _ugh_, never mind!"

-

French 101 with Hyuuga Hinata.

"Comment."

"Comment."

"Allez."

"Allez."

"Vou."

"Vou."

"Comment allez vou."

"Common aller boo."

"No."

-

Spanish 101 with Hyuuga Hinata.

"Me llamo Hinata. Now your turn." Hinata prompted. Tenten looked at her, confused.

"Llamo? That sounds like llama. Were you just calling yourself a llama?"

"No, I wasn't, I was - "

"Hehe. Hinata the llama."

"Stop it - "

"Hinata is a pretty purple llama."

"…I give up."

Tenten sighed, laying back on her bed and throwing out her arms. "I'm sorry, I just find this stuff _so-ooooo boring._"

"Me too, but I took the time to appreciate the languages." Hinata paused. "Did you know that I'm fluent in Italian, Spanish and French?"

"Really?" Tenten perked up.

"And Thai. And German."

"Wow, I didn't know that!" Tenten cried. "Teach me."

"Are you willing to learn?" Hinata asked, her tone serious but her face twitching into a smile. Tenten nodded, the broken smile contagious.

"I am, sensei."

"Let's do it."

-

Night fall came. Hinata left with a grin on her face, clutching her textbooks to her chest. Neji phoned Tenten at exactly nine o' clock, as promised the previous night.

"Hey, princess." He cooed, lolling on the sofa. "How are you?"

"Tired. Irritated. Hating Italy."

"I see." Neji laughed softly. "Other than that..?"

"I'm fine." Tenten confirmed with a nod. "What about you? How's that lip treating you?"

"It's okay, Tenten, really, don't worry about it. It's a little bruised, but it's fine. Nothing I can't take care of."

"Maybe…a kiss could make it better?" Tenten said suggestively, cocking her eyebrow and smiling. "I got Chap Stick."

"Is it cherry flavoured?"

"It's cherry flavoured."

"I'll be waiting for that kiss."

-

Tenten paced up and down, biting her nails on one hand and pulling at her hair with the other.

_Are Neji and I an item then? Does protecting a guy make you an item? No, of course it doesn't, Tenten, don't be stupid. It just makes you kind. And kickass, baby, kick. ASS. But that's not the point. He has a love for cherry Chap Stick. I love cherry Chap Stick. Does that make us Chap Stick buddies?_

_Ugh. This sucks. _

_I mean, Chap Stick buddies? _What_? I don't even know._

_I think I'm going insane._

-

**Wow, the chapters just get shorter and shorter! Well, I fulfilled some people's wish for a showdown between Itachi and Neji. Not that great, but whatever, I like how this chapter came out as a whole. Even if it was pretty short. **

**R&R, please! x **


	15. Fight

**ZOMG WAFFLES. THIS IS LIKE, THE SECOND LAST, MAYBE THIRD LAST CHAPTER!**

**Sorry this took a while. I had a bit of a mental block. **

**NYARHAHA. BUT I'M BACK, BITCHES! D **

**L'ahem. Continuation. **

-

Chapter Fifteen: Fight

Ten days passed. Neji looked at his calendar. "One more day."

His statement was correct. It was October 15th, and in one more day, Tenten's father would be judging if she were to marry Neji, or become free. Neji sighed sadly as he reached out and brushed his fingers lightly over the glossy cardboard calendar.

"Don't ruin it, Tenten. One more day. Just hold out for one more day."

-

"I just wanted to thank you, Hinata." Tenten smiled warmly at her friend and extended her arms for a hug. "You've helped me become a better princess in so many ways. You know, the languages, the clothes advice…" Tenten gestured to her outfit, which was a big difference from her previous clothes. "Everything. _Grazie_."

"Aw, you're welcome, Tenten." Hinata paused, holding a finger to her lightly glossed lips before giggling. "I mean, _prego_, Tenten."

_Just don't mess it up._

-

Tenten rushed down the stairs leading to the lobby, tugging at her clean hair and nice clothes. She was dressed in a baby blue tank top and white shorts over white tights. It was a different ensemble to the skirts and bodices she'd worn for the past several days, but she still managed to look like a real royal.  
"I got it, I got it! Geez, why are you maids so prompt at everything?" she said loudly, walking briskly across the room to the front door. She reached up, teasing a loose brown curl into place with her fingers before opening the door to a grinning Neji.

"Good afternoon, princess." Neji said kindly, as Tenten stepped aside to let him in. "I feel confident that you're doing well?"

"Neji. You don't speak like that. Cut the royal talk." Tenten muttered, both blushing and grinning from behind her bangs.

"Oh, sorry, I thought that a proper royal would want her subjects to speak politely to her." Neji pointed at the small, modest diamond necklace that hung around her slim neck. "New necklace?"

Tenten lifted her hand to pinch the jewel between her thumb and forefinger, a look of surprise on her face. "Oh, yeah, Hinata and I chose it when we went shopping last week. I'd forgotten I was even wearing it."

"I see. It's nice." Neji said in a hushed tone. The pair started walking back across the room, gaining several looks of admiration from passing maids. Shyly, Tenten interlaced her fingers with his.

"Neji," she said quietly, taking a sudden interest in her slipper-clad feet. "I want to thank you. Tomorrow, my father will be deciding whether I am to marry you or not, and I'm _sure _that he'll say I'm free to do what I want. That's…that's all thanks to you."

"Heh, that's funny."

"What is?" Tenten frowned up at Neji, loosening her grip on his hand, but not letting go.

"I was about to thank _you_. You kept your promise to me. Thank you."

-

Hugging Neji goodbye, Tenten grinned over his shoulder.

"Thanks for dinner, Neji." she thanked him, pulling out of the embrace. "I can't believe we've been out all day. I don't think I've ever been in this part of town before."

"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?" he asked, trailing his hand lovingly down her cotton sleeve before allowing his own arm to fall to his side. Tenten rolled her eyes and nodded.

"I'm fine, Neji, really. Thanks though."

"Alright." Neji grinned at his…well. He _still _didn't know what to call her. "Call me when you get home, okay?"

"Sure." She replied, turning to leave. "Night, Neji."

Her footsteps echoed through the empty street each time her fancy ballet pumps hit the concrete sidewalk. She swung her purse at her side and hummed a tune to herself. _One more day. I'm not going to ruin this._

Tenten slowed down as she neared an alleyway to the side of the road. She stared into the shadows and bit her lip, wondering if she should take the short way – through this alley. Shaking her head and ridding her imagination of any dark thoughts, she stepped into the alley confidently.

_Half way there. _

There was a sound from behind a dumpster. Tenten stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"Heh, I guess you caught us." A husky voice chuckled, and a pair of tall figures stepped out from behind the smelly green trash bins. Tenten felt her shoulders tense and curled her hands into fists.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" she snapped, masking her fear with a tough face.

"My name's Sasori." The first man said, stepping into the light of a streetlamp. He had a rust red head of hair that swayed slightly in the October breeze, and scary dark eyes, ringed with grey shadows.

"Suigetsu." The other man said, grinning at Tenten with shark teeth. He ran his fingers through his natural silver hair and looked down at the princess. "We work for Itachi."

"Ah," Tenten said quietly. She started circling around the pair, much like Neji had done with Itachi on the night of the party. "That bastard. Let me guess, you're here to…kidnap me. Lock me in a cell. Watch over me until Itachi decides he wants to marry me. Make sure I can't escape, blah, blah, blah. God, sounds like you got that plan out of a Mario game. I'm Peach. Itachi-bastard's Bowser."

"Hm, no. But that would be a good plan, albeit not a very original one." Suigetsu said loudly. "But we are here because of Itachi."

"He's sent us to get rid of you." Sasori smiled evilly. Tenten's dark orbs widened from their cold glare.

"G-get rid…of me?"

Without responding, Suigetsu darted forward, fist closed. He punched Tenten in the mouth and she was flung back several meters before hitting a silver trash can. She blinked rapidly, opening her mouth to relocate her jaw. The pair of 'assassins' stepped forward, their figures shadowing over the small girl. She shuddered at how close they were.

She tried to wriggle away, but Sasori gripped her wrist before she could. "Let – me – go!"

"Sorry, can't. Just following orders." Sasori whipped his arm – the one that held Tenten – and let go of her wrist. She once again tumbled along the floor like a lifeless, limp doll.

Going down twice in a fight was always a rarity for Tenten. She didn't feel like going down again. Pulling herself to her feet, she once again balled her hands into fists.

She ran at the pair, an angry scream rolling off her tongue. Pulling back both arms, she swung her two fists at the faces of the assassins. Sure that she'd gotten them back, she blinked and found herself on the ground again.

_These guys aren't human_, she thought. _So fast…I thought I got them!_

Tenten dragged herself up onto her feet, using the wall to prop herself up. _Okay. I'll wait for them to come to me. Then I'll pounce._

Sasori ran forward, grinning all over his – admittedly pretty – face. When he was about a meter and a half away from the girl, Tenten lifted her leg and kicked him in the face. He stumbled backwards, spreading his fingers across his cheeks.

"Ow!" he screeched, turning to Suigetsu. "She…kicked me!"

"I saw." Suigetsu muttered, glaring at Tenten, who had already regained her posture. "You're going down, girly."

Yelling like a banshee, Suigetsu dashed forward, hand raised. Before he could reach her, Tenten dived into the air and swung her leg in a semi-circle, hitting him in the chest.

Apparently, that wasn't enough.

As she fell down to the ground, Suigetsu grabbed her ankle and tossed her over his shoulder. She hit the ground on her back, screaming and near tears. When she tried to get up, her hands buckled and she fell back down.

"Sasori," Suigetsu said quietly. "Come on. I think that should do the trick. She can't move. She'll die here."

Sasori nodded and followed his partner out of the alley way.

Rain started pouring onto the city. Tenten felt her shoulders twitch as hot tears blurred her line of vision. She couldn't stop the tears spilling down her bruised cheeks.

Footsteps behind her made her pull herself into a sitting position. She twisted her upper body and gasped as she saw the glaring face of Neji hanging above hers.

"Tenten," he said quietly. "Not twelve hours ago. Not _twelve. Hours. Ago, _did I thank you for keeping your promise. Look…look at you."

"Neji, I - "

"In a matter of minutes, you've gone back to your former self. The new Tenten wouldn't fight."

"Neji, it's not my fault!"

"No. It never is, is it?" he turned and walked slowly down the alley, a solemn look on his face. Tenten's breathing increased, changing from a steady pattern to sharp, sad breaths. She stood up and ran forward a few steps, puddles soaking the hem of her jeans.

"Neji, I – I love you!" she screamed after him. That stopped him. He froze, hands in pockets. He turned back around just in time to see Tenten fall to her knees again. She clenched her hands in her lap and continued to sob. "I…I'm sorry. I didn't…I don't…they just came at me…I didn't know…what to do…"

Before she could say anything else, Neji pulled her up and hugged her. He didn't hold her tight – her could tell she was bruised under her shirt – but he still held her and said nothing.

After a few moments of silence, Neji pulled away. He turned on the spot, crouched down and pulled Tenten onto his back. Taking her by surprise, Tenten let out a whimper. Realising that she was safe, she draped her arms around his shoulders and neck.

"I love you too, Tenten." He whispered, hoping she wouldn't hear.

But no matter how quiet he said it, the phrase didn't go unnoticed by Tenten. She smiled a weak smile before passing out.

-

"How is she?"

"Pretty banged up, but she'll be fine."

"Can I see her?"

"Of course. Be gentle with her."

"I will."

The voices of Neji and the royal doctor filled Tenten's ears. Her eyes opened to the sight of the corner of the room. _Now I remember. I woke up and sat here. _

She looked down at her body. She was still wearing her jeans, but her pretty silver top had been replaced by a bandage that stretched around her chest, much like a tube top. Hugging her knees to her body, she closed her eyes again.

"Tenten," Neji whispered at her back. "Are you okay?"

She nodded once.

"…Can I see your back?"

She nodded once again.

Neji stepped forward cautiously and sat down cross-legged behind her. He hesitated, thinking of the best way to see, before carefully lifting the bandage up her back. He gasped, an angry look painted on his face. Pulling the bandage back into place, he said, "I won't take this sitting down, Tenten."

"No. Don't worry." Tenten croaked, lifting her head. "Itachi's workers think I'm dead, so that's what they'll tell him. We won't hear from him again."

"Okay. I won't do anything crazy." Neji breathed. He wrapped his arms lovingly around her shoulders and blindly touched her scratched face. "I'm sorry for what I said."

"Mm. 'S'okay."

"I spoke to your dad." Neji said. Tenten turned in her place, her face red.

"What did he say?"

"He's very disappointed in you."

"Oh. Well then I guess I can't keep my promise."

"Mm. He said that…you and I will get married in December."

"Oh." She paused. "Neji, I'm sorry. Will you be okay…married to me?"

Neji winked.

-

**ZOMG. I suck at fight scenes. **

**Anyway. Review? :3**


	16. Wedding

**Sniff. I don't want this fic to end, I really don't.**

**I give to you, good people, the wedding chapter. :3**

**There may be an epilogue, but you know. I get distracted a lot. ;D**

**Anyway. I won't even bother with an 'enjoy', cuz if you've read this far, you've gotta be enjoying it. Unless you just haven't read it. Or you're retarded. Whatever. xD**

-

Chapter Sixteen: Wedding

"Tenten, I'd like to thank you for making me maid of honor." Hinata grinned at her best friend, fluffing at the veil that trailed down Tenten's back in a motherly fashion. "It really means a lot. Oh, you look so pretty."

Hinata held back tears as she stepped backwards to admire the princess' outfit from every angle. Tenten was dressed head-to-toe in white. Her dress was long and made of silk, modestly decorated with sequins and a small white ribbon. It'd been hand-picked by both herself and Hinata, and Tenten had fallen in love with it at first sight. Of course, she didn't love the dress as much as she loved Neji.

"You're welcome." Tenten breathed, heart pounding under her 'invisible' bra. "I can't believe this is actually happening."

"Me either, Tenten. Me either." Hinata gazed out the church window at the delicate snowflakes that were falling steadily from the silver sky. A man dressed in a suit put his head round the door, startling both girls.

"Hinata, please would you go and take a seat? And, Princess, if you would like to follow me. You look stunning." He said kindly, beckoning them with one hand. Tenten grinned.

"I feel stunning." She burst out, twirling in a circle. She reached up to adjust the tiara that sat prominently on her dark brown curls, and followed the man out of the room.

He lead her to the main doors of the church. "Now, any moment now, the doors will open and you will go through, walk down the aisle, and the rest is pretty obvious. Oh, where are the bridesmaids?"

"Trust me, the people I picked aren't the most prompt people I know. Ah, there they are." Tenten pointed over the man's shoulder to the three girls that were rushing – or, trotting, in their heels – down the hallway. There was Ino, who'd purposely worn less make-up to make herself look less pretty than the bride. To her left was Sakura, and to Ino's right was Karin – not two of Tenten's closest friends, but two of the prettiest and most reliable.

"Alright, blondie, you walk in front of Tenten, sort of as a silent announcement that the bride has arrived. Red, you walk slightly behind Tenten, and to the left. Pinkie, to the right. Into position…go."

The four girls arranged themselves according to the man's instructions and checked each other's appearances. The doors swung open, and Tenten thought her heart stopped.

-

'_I do' are two of the most beautiful words in the whole world. _

**They are, aren't they?**

_Of course they are. Hey, Neji, I'm glad._

**You are?**

_I'm glad I was offered this shuddy bet. I'm glad it was you I was engaged to all this time. I'm glad I married you. And you know what makes me the most glad?_

**What's that, my princess?**

_I'm glad these wedding arrangements all worked out._

-

**A simple, short way to end a fic, methinks. Sorry I didn't go into too much detail about the wedding; I've only ever been to one wedding, and that was about four years ago, so I don't have a lot of knowledge on what's said at a wedding –toolazytolookitupcuzi'mcoollikethat-**

**Anyway. For the (possibly) last time, please review! :D**


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